Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Captain Dudley Wallace Arabin Smith, 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment, wrote to a friend on 23rd May 1915.

“We left Heliopolis on May 8, and arrived here on the 11th, but did not land till day-break on the 12th. From the time we left the transport we were under shell fire. We slept that night in dug-outs, and went into the trenches on the 13th, and stayed there for a week. There was nothing much doing till the 19th, when we were attacked by the Turks in some
force, but we repulsed them with great loss, while our losses were very light. “Pippo” Edmonds got a shrapnel bullet through the biceps on the 18th. Everything is going well here, and I think it is impossible for the Turks to drive us out now. From information, gathered from prisoners after the attack on the 19th, it appears that it was a general attack by 32,000 Turks intended to drive us into the sea.... Most of our trenches are quite close to the Turks — some only 20 yards away; but the ones we were holding were about 40 yards away, and consequently too far away for the Turks to throw many bombs into them. It is a long way safer in the trenches than anywhere else..... Our tucker is O.K., and there is as much as one could want; in fact, a lot goes to waste, Up till to-day, when we got fresh
meat, we had been having only Bully-beef, jam, and dried vegetables; but it went very well, and every one is in the best of spirits. The worst job we have with the men it to keep them back and to get them to keep their heads down while in the trenches, as it is certain death to put your head up. We only observe through periscopes and loop-holes. There is no doubt some of the Turks are crack shots, but most of them only put their rifles up and fire
haphazard. We had to leave our horses behind, as there appears to be no work for Light Horse in this war. I very much doubt if we will ever see our horses again.”
Courtesy of Gallipoli 1915.