Chapter 55 – Ishmail

Edward Erickson lists chicken soup amongst several other types of food provided to some wounded Turkish soldiers in June 1915 on a transport ferry in Gallipoli, The Ottoman Campaign (p. 196). Conditions were likely to be more constrained at the frontline trenches.

Harvey Broadbent states in Gallipoli-The Turkish Defence (p. 161) that by 27 April Anzac trenches had only been dug to “knee height, or a little deeper”.

Haluk Oral describes the Turkish raid on Martyrs Hill (Anzac name “The Pimple” at Lone Pine) on the night of 7/8 May in Gallipoli 1915 – Through Turkish Eyes (p. 89-100). Oral describes how First Lieutenant Safvet of the 125th Regiment led the raid at 10:00pm. A diversionary attack at 9:00 involved the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 57th Regiment bombing their opposing trenches, and then advancing with bayonets.

Charles Bean in Gallipoli Mission records an interview with Major Zeki, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Turkish 57th Regiment. Zeki states that each battalion has a ‘Hoja’ (chaplain). The 1st Battalion would have a Hoja with rank of Mufti. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions  would have a Hoja with rank of Imam.

Images and descriptions of the Turkish “cricket ball” bombs can be seen at websites for the British Imperial War Museum, and the Australian War Museum:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30021478

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RELAWM16893.001/

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RELAWM00408/

These hand-thrown bombs were made of a cast iron casing, filled with 100 grams of TNT explosive. They were 73mm in diameter with a fuse that had to be lit by the thrower. According to the laws of cricket, a new cricket ball should have a circumference in the range of 8 13/16 inches to 9 inches (diametre approx. 71-73mm).

https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-5-the-ball/

Charles Bean describes the early experimentation with jam tin bombs by the Anzacs in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18, vol II (p. 95-96). Bean states that the first jam tin bombs were produced and tested at the frontline trenches around 7 May. Early prototypes had fuses that were “far too long”.

Harvey Broadbent records accounts provided by veteran Turkish soldiers who served at at Gallipoli in The Boys Who Came Home . Two who served at the Anzac front described the bombs thrown by the Anzacs as “Black Cats” (p. 89).

The 57th Regiment was based around the head of Monash Valley at this time – ref map in Harvey Broadbent’s Gallipoli-The Turkish Defence (p. 160), and Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18, vol II (p. 135).

Aubrey Herbert was an Englishman who spoke fluent Turkish and was charged with yelling propaganda to the Turks to encourage them to surrender. Herbert recounts in his book Mons, Anzac and Kut from his diary entry of 7 May 1915 how he went to three places around Quinn’s Post and called out to the Turks an encouragement to surrender with words similar to those included as quoted. The expression “An old friend cannot be an enemy” is a Turkish proverb. An account of Aubrey Herbert’s heroic and compassionate involvement in the Gallipoli campaign is also given by Haluk Oral in Gallipoli 1915 – Through Turkish Eyes (pp. 129-139).