Gallipoli Diary Volume II Part 27

29th Indian Brigade.

69th Howitzer Brigade, R.F.A.

6. The landing near Suvla will be entrusted to you, and you will have at your disposal:--

11th Division.

10th Division (less 29th Brigade).

Highland Mountain Artillery Brigade.

1st/4th Lowland Howitzer Brigade.

The disembarkation of your command, which may be expected to be opposed, though not in great strength, will be after dark at a point immediately south of Lala Baba. The first troops to disembark will be the 11th Division, which will have been concentrated at Imbros previously to the attack, and will be brought across under cover of darkness in destroyers and motor-lighters. It is expected that approximately 4,000 men will be disembarked simultaneously, and that three infantry brigades and the mountain artillery brigade will be ash.o.r.e before daylight.

Your first objectives will be the high ground at Lala Baba and Ghazi Baba, and the hills near Yilghin Burnu and Ismail Oglu Tepe. It will also be necessary to send a small force to secure a footing on the hills due east of Suvla Bay. It is of first importance that Yilghin Burnu and Ismail Oglu Tepe should be captured by a coup-de-main before daylight in order to prevent the guns which they contain being used against our troops on Hill 305 and to safeguard our hold on Suvla Bay. It is hoped that one division will be sufficient for the attainment of these objectives.

Your subsequent moves will depend on circ.u.mstances which cannot at present be gauged, but it is hoped that the remainder of your force will be available on the morning of the 7th August to advance on Biyuk Anafarta with the object of moving up the eastern spurs of Hill 305 so as to a.s.sist General Birdwood's attack.

7. The operations from within the present Anzac position will begin during the day immediately preceding your disembarkation (the reinforcements for General Birdwood's force having been dribbled ash.o.r.e in detachments at Anzac Cove on the three previous nights). The operations will begin with a determined attack on the Turkish left centre, Lonesome Pine and Johnston's Jolly (see enlarged map of Anzac position), with the object of attracting the enemy's reserves to this portion of the line. The Turks have for long been apprehensive of our landing in the neighbourhood of Gaba Tepe, and it is hoped that an attack in force in this quarter will confirm their apprehensions. At nightfall the Turkish outposts on the extreme right of the enemy's line will be rushed, and a force of 20,000 men will advance in three or more columns up the ravines running down from Chunuk Bair. This advance, which will begin about the same time as your first troops reach the sh.o.r.e, will be so timed as to reach the summit of the main ridge near Chunuk Bair about 2.30 a.m. (soon after moon-rise).

Latest photographs show that the Turkish trenches on this ridge do not extend further north than Chunuk Bair, and it is unlikely that the higher portions of the ridge are held in great strength.

As soon as a lodgement has been effected on this ridge a portion of the attacking force will be left to consolidate the position gained and the remainder will advance south-west against the enemy's trenches near Baby 700, which will be attacked simultaneously by a special detachment from within the Anzac position.

An advance by your force from the east will, as already indicated in paragraph 6, be of great a.s.sistance in the event of this attack being checked.

8. The landing of sufficient transport to secure the mobility of your force will be a matter of considerable difficulty. No animals or vehicles of any kind will be able to land in the first instance, and machine-guns, tools and necessary medical and signalling equipment must be carried by hand. All men will land with two iron rations (one day's meat ration only is advised); infantry will carry 200 rounds S.A.A. and machine-gun sections 3,500 rounds in belt boxes. Packs and greatcoats will not be taken ash.o.r.e. Before dawn it is hoped to land enough horses to secure the mobility of the mountain artillery brigade and one battery R.F.A., and it is hoped that within the first 24 hours the disembarkation of all the personnel, horses and vehicles enumerated in the attached table will be complete.

One brigade R.F.A. 11th Division, 1/4th Lowland 5th Howitzer Brigade (two batteries) and the 10th Heavy Battery, will be landed at Anzac before the operations commence, and their personnel and horses will disembark on the morning following your disembarkation, and will then be directed along the beach to join your command.

Water is plentiful throughout the Anafarta Valley, but pending the disembarkation of water carts a number of mules with special 8-gallon water bags will be attached to the units of your command.

(_Signed_) W. P. BRAITHWAITE,

_Major-General, C.G.S._, _Mediterranean Expeditionary Force_.

P.S.--This letter is never to be out of an officer's possession, and if, as is probable, you require to send it to your Brig.-Gen. G.S., it must be sent to Mudros in charge of an officer.

TABLE.

|Animals. | Vehicles.

--------------------------------------------------------------------- 11TH DIVISION.

Divl. H.Q. and Signal Co. 28 1 cart, 2 cable wagons.

3 Infantry Brigades 108 Nil.

Pioneer Battalion 8 Nil.

2 F.A. Brigades 506 32 guns, 88 wagons, 2 telegraph wagons, 10 carts.

1 Heavy Battery R.G.A. 45 4 guns, 4 wagons, 2 G.S. wagons, 1 cart.

3 Field Coys. R.E. 48 12 tool carts.

2 Platoons Divl. Cyclist Co. Nil 62 bicycles.

3 Field Ambulances 144 30 ambulances, 12 carts.

10TH DIVISION.

Divl. H.Q. and Signal Co. } -- Transport on 1-1/2 Infantry Brigades } approximately the same Pioneer Battalion } scale 3 Field Cos. R.E. } as that for 11th 3 Field Ambulances } Division.

29th Indian Brigade and Indian Field Ambulance.

2 Mountain Batteries (80 mules).

2 Battalions (of 500 men each) for Beach parties.

Mule Corps with 300 mules and 150 carts.

3 Casualty Clearing Stations.

Organization Orders for Troops Landing at Anzac.

1. Troops landing at Anzac are to land equipped as follows:

F.S. equipment, including respirator;

Pack and waterproof sheet;

No blanket.

Officers' kit reduced to what they can carry.

No transport of any kind will be available to move baggage or equipment.

Ammunition S.A.A. 200 rounds per rifle or person; 3,500 rounds per machine-gun in belt boxes.

No regimental reserve S.A.A.

Gun, limbers and wagons filled with fused sh.e.l.l.

Water bottles--filled.

Rations--iron rations one day meat and biscuit, two days' groceries.

Sufficient to provide breakfasts.