The Road to Chunuk Bair » Otago Battalion

Wednesday 26th October 1916

lynley — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:00:43 +0000

[Leap Year adjustment]

We relieve Otago. The Coy is Battn Reserve & occupies part

of the Subsidiary & SS lines and Goodwood.

Monday 20th June 1916

lynley — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:00:49 +0000

[Leap Year adjustment]

We were relieved by Otago 2^nd Battn and went into Reserve in Billets in Armentieres.

[Covering letter with Diary pages]

To O.C. 7^th West Coast Regt

N.Z. Military Forces

from

O.C. 7^th West Coast Coy

2^nd Battn. Wellington Regt

N.Z.E.F.

Sir,

Enclosed find copy of the diary of the West Coast Coy 2^nd Wellingtons. I should suggest that these copies be kept in the records of the regiment. I propose to send them forward monthly. Please acknowledge receipt.

Hugh McKinnon

19/6/16 Lieut

O.C.W.W.C. Coy.

Wednesday 15th December 1915

lynley — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:00:12 +0000

Coy enters fire & support trenches again relieving Ruahine. Alloted A & B Groups of No. 3 Post & E group of No. 2 Post.

Pvts Harrison C. & Stokes J.E. depart on detachment, with Otago Batt to Lemnos.

Quiet day.

Tuesday 7th September 1915

lynley — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:55 +0000

Company relieved by Otago Battn and removes into rest bivouac at Cheshire Ridge.

Struck off strength 10/2408 Burnley H.B & 10/518 Sciascia C. Corp to Field Amb. Hosp.

Monday 9th August 1915

lynley — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:20 +0000

The Battalion was relieved by Otago Battalion at 2 am.

The Coy which returned under Lieut McKinnon comprised 3 NCOs & 15 men.

Casualty List.

Killed 2 officers 16 men

Wounded 2 officers 47 men

Missing 74 men

The Battalion in Support on Chalik Dere.

The following men who returned from the Firing line were sent to Sick Hpl

Pte Johnston S.R. Pte Connell C.W.

Pte Hurst. Pte Durling A.

Pte Raine. Pte Sheehan W.

Wounded by shrapnel

L/C Baxter E. Pte Bristow H.

Sunday 25th April 1915

Gillian Tasker — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:49 +0000

Achaia arrived Anzac Noon.

Bn. Hqrs. minus machine guns Taranaki & Ruahine Corp. disembarked and landed on the beach a[t] Gaba Tepe the disembarkation was completed at 6 p.m. from transport to T.B. [Torpedo Boat] Destroyer & lighter & from those in life boats to the shore. Enemy shelling beach heavily while landing in progress. (cas. 1 off[icer]adj.[utant] & 4 men slightly wounded) night 25/26 spent in a gully.

At 7 pm 9 & 10 platoons Taranaki Coy under Major Brunt moved to right flank and took up a position with Australian troops 16 Aust. Btn under Col Pope and had to dig in with entrenching tools & remained there the night of 26^th. They were subjected to enfilading fire & shelling. These platoons arrived in position at midnight (on 25th/26th) and were relieved at 2.30 am. [on] the 27^th by Otago Btn and returned to the beach & rested for a day and were then occupied in road making at the bottom of Walkers Ridge until 28^th. During the action Nos 9 & 10 platoons the following casualties occurred. Killed 7. Wounded 26. All ranks worked with determination and coolness.

Special mention. No 10/273 Pt H E Hayden went out under heavy fire & removed boxes of ammunition that had become ignited by enemy fire & covered them up with earth. In this action he was killed.

No 10/747 L Corp. Looney left his position under heavy fire to attend and bandage a comrade. He was killed while doing so.

No 10/1116 C.S.M. A J. M. Bonar showed great bravery all through by going out & bringing wounded to a place of safety. He undoubtedly saved the lives of a lot of men.

One & a half companys entrenched themselves on McLagans Ridge on the night of the 25^th returned to Howitzer Gully at 9 am 27^th. Bn Hqrs remained in Gully N.E. of Corps Hqrs for the day. Remainder of Taranaki Coy. returned to beach during the night.

Remarks on facing page: At 2 am on 26^th 11 & 12 platoons landed under Capt Cox & proceeded to relieve some troops in trenches on ridge covering landing. These were in turn relieved next morning & rejoined the Battalion. Took part in Walkers Ridge.

Casualties. 6 killed 10 wounded

Helles 1[?] killed 38 wounded 2 missing

Tuesday 2nd February 1915

lynley — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:00:43 +0000

Today we finished a new trench on the South side of Gare 152. It was a windy day and the dust was very unpleasant. At 7.30 pm. orders came out that we were to move tomorrow. Otago Battalion taking over our trenches. 129 men & 4 officers of our Company proceed to Suez as Garrison, the remainder are to be in reserve at Campimento. We tossed with Hawkes Bay for the job at Suez and won. Last night there was a small affair at El Kubri Post with firing intermittently for an hour or more.

Wednesday 27th January 1915

lynley — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:00:08 +0000

There was no reveille this morning. We were all awakened very early 4 a.m. by heavy firing from the Canal about a mile to our front followed by gun fire. Men in the bivouac stood to arms and a platoon was sent out to get touch with Otago Battalion on our right. The firing continued intermittently for quite an hour. Reveille was timed for 5.30. We had hot tea and Bully beef for breakfast and paraded at 9 a.m. whence we marched to the trenches on the West Bank of the Canal. Our section of the line we found in occupation of the 2^nd Battalion 7^th Ghurka Rifles. We were delighted to find ourselves in touch with another 7^th. They moved about 800 yards up occupying ground to our right. We found some 400 yards of trench all ready prepared along our section of the defence, which merely required a little deepening being built for Ghurkas. We were all immensely taken with the Ghurkas. They are compact little soldiers and one would feel delighted to have a company of them. All is quiet (11pm) along our front so far. A strong post guards the position on the Eastern Bank of the Canal in front of our position. It was the position attacked last night by the enemy and they expect further trouble tonight. Our Regiment has about 4 miles of front. We have 2000 yards. There are strong posts held by Indian troops in our front on enemy’s side of Canal. Being the nearest troops to the post on either side we shall soon know if anything is doing.

Tuesday 6th October 1914

lynley — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:03 +0000

An interesting Field day at Miramar against the Otago Battalion. The 7^th acted as advanced guard. Got early into the action and being unsupported by the rest of the Battalion was nearly scuppered. However they fought well and defeated the enemy of attaining his main object.