Gunner W E C Haseman 1737
Gallipoli WW1 1915
LANDING AT BRIGHTON BEACH
Account by CEW Bean
During the night of April 26th, as on that of the 25th, the enemy attempted to charge across the Wheatfield upon Bolton’s Ridge. A whirlwind of rifle-fire preceded the attack, evidently in order to cover it. But several Australian guns had landed during the day. Lieutenant-Colonel Rosenthal, commanding the 3rd Australian Artillery Brigade, always a man of force and an optimist. having urged upon Bridges that he had room for two batteries on the right, obtained leave to place one on Bolton’s Hill, and accordingly three guns of the 7th Battery, under Major F. A. Hughes were emplaced there. Owing to the difficulty of finding suitable positions in these hills for fire at short range, they were stationed within a few yards of the front line. The muzzle of one of them looked out over the Wheatfield. When the Turks charged that night, they came under the fire of this gun, which swept the crop in front of the Australian line. They were so close that the shrapnel was timed to burst at the gun muzzle, and the fieldpiece was thus turned into a gigantic shotgun. Firing over the heads of the infantry, its discharges sweeping almost dangerously along the Australian line, it was a weapon which the Turks could not face, and the attack collapsed.
Account by Leutenant Colonel C Rosenthal
Monday 26th Apri. Early in the morning 1 gun of 1st Battery under Major Sweetland and 1 gun of 4th Battery under Lieut Siddall came into action on the extreme right of ridge (Low Scrub Hill) overlooking Gaba Tepe. The 4th Battery did excellent work all day against Infantry targets ranging from very close ranges to about 1000 yards. Lt Irwin did good work with 1st Battery gun, but the Major in charge proved a great disappointment, but I do not want to say more here. Later in the morning 4 guns and wagons of 7th Battery came ashore and I at once ordered two of that Battery’s guns into position, making a complete Composite Battery. There also came ashore 2 guns of 3rd Battery and 4 guns of 8th Battery. These latter had evidently come ashore in error and were ordered back to their Ships by Col Hobbs. I also, later in the afternoon, ordered back 1st Battery and 4th Battery guns, replacing them with the remaining two guns of 7th Battery, thus having this Battery complete on the position. The Infantry was very happy to see Artillery. Our position was absolutely in the Infantry trenches and on the sky line and of course there was no Infantry in front of our guns. It would have been quite useless to come into action behind the Infantry as then in order to clear the crest we should have had to fire at nothing less than 3000 yards, and our chief targets were from 500 to 1000 yards. The day was very exciting, and our shooting was a marked contrast to Practice camp work where every round is husbanded most carefully. Each gun fired during the day about 400 rounds. All our officers and men stood up to the ordeal splendidly. Got our Telephone communications established with Head Quarters. I was with my orderly Bligh lying down on the crest in a small hole which is later to become my Head Quarters when an Infantryman came rushing over to me bringing a message from Brigadier McKay. Just as he reached within a few yards of me he fell mortally wounded with a rifle bullet. The next instant my two linesman who were completing the laying of telephone cable came to the spot with their heavy reel, and hearing bullets singing past, they made one leap into my hiding place, and with their reel fell in a heap on top of me – and they weren’t very light either.
We spent the night entrenching. Beautiful sight, Search lights and big fleet of Transports and Men O’ War making an ensemble that will never be effaced from the memory of those who were privileged to see it. On the one side Peace – on the other rifle, machine gun and artillery fire.
The fleet bombarded the enemy’s position during the evening. Quiet night. I am in a strong position, though a tactically unsound one, my guns being actually in the Infantry firing line. Colonel Hobbs this evening seemed much affected, and expressed his sincere thanks for my assistance.
GALLIPOLI. 1915-04-26. MEMBERS OF THE 7TH BATTERY, 3RD FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, BEING TOWED ASHORE IN ANZAC COVE WITH THEIR ARTILLERY.
GALLIPOLI. 1915-04-25. TROOPS, POSSIBLY FROM THE 3RD FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE, BEING FERRIED ASHORE TO ANZAC COVE WITH THEIR ARTILLERY.
ISHELL GREEN, GALLIPOLI, TURKEY, 1915. "SHOWING OUR GUN LIMBERS AND EMPTY CASES. THE X AT TOP LEFT MARKS APPROXIMATELY THE POSITION OF OUR GUN WHERE CAPTAIN WALTER ALAND LESLIE MET HIS DEATH, 6.5.1915. THE BARE GROUND IN FOREPART OF PICTURE IS KNOWN AS SHELL GREEN ON ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF SHELLS FALLING THERE".
Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey. 26 April 1915. Australian artillerymen dragging guns into position after the landing at Anzac. By 6 p.m. on the first evening one gun had been placed on the neck above the southern end of Ari Burnu beach, and next day more guns were dragged over this neck into positions to the right.
GALLIPOLI, TURKEY, 1915. COMMENTS LEFT TO RIGHT. "OUR FIRING LINE. LONE PINE. ONE OF OUR GUNS IN OUR FIRING LINE. ENEMY'S COUNTRY. TURKS' TRENCHES."
GALLIPOLI, TURKEY, 1915. "JUST A FEW YARDS IN REAR OF OUR FIRST FIRING LINE" - 3RD FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE.