IMPACT ON NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS
The Great war left a huge impact on New Zealand soldiers who fought in the battles as well as creating history. The battle for Gallipoli being a significant event for New Zealanders and Australians ended up claiming over 120,000 lives from both sides in total (2,700 New Zealnders). The first attack at Gallipoli was commenced at 4:30am but had landed allied men in the wrong place further north to where were meant to be deployed. This caused confusion between the Anzac soldiers not knowing where to travel and separating them from their battalions.
The Soldiers had a lot more to fear than the bullets that would pierce their flesh. Men who had fought in Gallipoli suffered through the horror of witnessing death and being a victim of diseases which spread during the battle between both sides. Some of these diseases were known as "foot trench" which would cause soldiers to be unable to walk, run or fight lowering numbers of men which would have affected others to replace them. A few pictures are shown below as examples from soldiers during the war who suffered from "foot trench"
The Soldiers had a lot more to fear than the bullets that would pierce their flesh. Men who had fought in Gallipoli suffered through the horror of witnessing death and being a victim of diseases which spread during the battle between both sides. Some of these diseases were known as "foot trench" which would cause soldiers to be unable to walk, run or fight lowering numbers of men which would have affected others to replace them. A few pictures are shown below as examples from soldiers during the war who suffered from "foot trench"
Thousands of men in the documentary “Gallipoli” have also been described as suffering not only from battle but sickness and diseases killing many, both allies and Turkish soldiers. Flies were also a bad cause as they flew amongst dead corpses’ to food supplies such as jam, corned beef and biscuits eating away the troop’s food in large numbers and near impossible to shoo away.
A soldier had also explained in this film the conditions of supplies and how they managed to survive on food
“I lost seven teeth eating a biscuit...." these were ANZAC biscuits which were usually all the men had to eat but were described when eating "as hard as a rock" this caused some of men having to dip their biscuits in puddles which they rested among in trenches.
" Soldiers had also described the battle field as a “carpet of bodies”
explaining how horrific the scene was, being filled with streams of blood and not being able to walk anywhere without tripping over a corpse. Bodies within "no mans land" had been left to rot for days creating a devastating sense of smell which soldiers from both sides had to live with.
The assaulting plans re enactment had shown how wave after wave of ANZAC troops failed one after another getting mowed down by Turkish bullets as they departed the trenches ordered by British officers. There had been up to four repetitive wave assaults just charging straight into bullets before losing hundreds of men. These men however bravely followed these orders although had known it was suicide.
After three days only 600 yards had been gained by the allies after the failed attacks. Grenades were also mentioned to be thrown into trenches back and forth up to three times before exploding.
A soldier had also explained in this film the conditions of supplies and how they managed to survive on food
“I lost seven teeth eating a biscuit...." these were ANZAC biscuits which were usually all the men had to eat but were described when eating "as hard as a rock" this caused some of men having to dip their biscuits in puddles which they rested among in trenches.
" Soldiers had also described the battle field as a “carpet of bodies”
explaining how horrific the scene was, being filled with streams of blood and not being able to walk anywhere without tripping over a corpse. Bodies within "no mans land" had been left to rot for days creating a devastating sense of smell which soldiers from both sides had to live with.
The assaulting plans re enactment had shown how wave after wave of ANZAC troops failed one after another getting mowed down by Turkish bullets as they departed the trenches ordered by British officers. There had been up to four repetitive wave assaults just charging straight into bullets before losing hundreds of men. These men however bravely followed these orders although had known it was suicide.
After three days only 600 yards had been gained by the allies after the failed attacks. Grenades were also mentioned to be thrown into trenches back and forth up to three times before exploding.
Pictures below show an ANZAC wave charging out of their trenches towards the enemy, a look of the ANZAC biscuits which the men lived off and a field of dead Turkish soldiers which lay dead in no mans land. This shows only an example of the affects during this battle as described "the fields were a carpet of bodies" only giving us a horrific image to visualize as to how something could be so true.
Within the eight odd months of the Gallipoli Campaign the weather had also affected both sides during the battle. During the months of November to January winter had hit Peninsula changing the atmosphere of the battle from creating a snowy environment, to bone chilling winds as well as heavy rain. The rain ended up flooding trenches collecting nearly everything needed for the soldiers such as food supplies, ammunition as well as drowning some of the weaker men.
The trenches were also very claustrophobic and overwhelming for some. The environment and atmosphere were described as wet and filthy of mud, space being filled with the injured moaning from their wounds, unburied dead bodies rotting away leaving an awful scent of smell, and the sound of heavy machine gun fire and explosions setting off everywhere. This is where the soldiers had to sleep eat and pee while fighting in this trench warfare, as well as having to worry about their own lives whether it would be having the fear of being fired at, or the diseases or infections that would slowly kill them. It would have also been quite easy for the men to catch these diseases because of the lack of poor food, shortage of water supplies causing exhaustion and low strength to to be able to fight against or resist the disease.
The battle overall from the Gallipoli campaign basically claimed every survivors life as they had never forgotten the horror they had witnessed and become a victim of. Soldiers returning home had never been the same as they had before the war broke out. Some Soldiers had been affected by "shell Shock" which would cause uncontrollable shaking caused by the experience of the battle.
The trenches were also very claustrophobic and overwhelming for some. The environment and atmosphere were described as wet and filthy of mud, space being filled with the injured moaning from their wounds, unburied dead bodies rotting away leaving an awful scent of smell, and the sound of heavy machine gun fire and explosions setting off everywhere. This is where the soldiers had to sleep eat and pee while fighting in this trench warfare, as well as having to worry about their own lives whether it would be having the fear of being fired at, or the diseases or infections that would slowly kill them. It would have also been quite easy for the men to catch these diseases because of the lack of poor food, shortage of water supplies causing exhaustion and low strength to to be able to fight against or resist the disease.
The battle overall from the Gallipoli campaign basically claimed every survivors life as they had never forgotten the horror they had witnessed and become a victim of. Soldiers returning home had never been the same as they had before the war broke out. Some Soldiers had been affected by "shell Shock" which would cause uncontrollable shaking caused by the experience of the battle.
An example of a soldier from world war 1 who has been traumatized by the effects of war and suffers "shell shock" which many New Zealanders had also suffered once returning home from Gallipoli.
Special medication was sometimes needed in order to prevent the lose of control of shaking.
Special medication was sometimes needed in order to prevent the lose of control of shaking.
The graph above shows statistics of both allied an enemy forces during the campaign of Gallipoli, this explains the cost of how many lives the battle took as well as showing us here the involvement of New Zealanders who took part in the battle, here over 7,500 NZ soldiers fought which was alot of men considering that the population in New Zealand during this time was just over a million citizens.
ANZAC's had also written home to loved ones describing their own experiences of the war during their spare time. A New Zealander soldier below by the name " George Bollinger" shares his experience when serving in Gallipoli, this is just an example of many other soldiers who had written back home sharing their point of view and thoughts whilst fighting for life against the enemy soldiers and other conditions which may have affected them.
George Bollinger's diarySunday 25th April
"The day is beautifully fine. We are steaming full speed, close to the southern shores of Gallipoli. What a day of days! We left Lemnos at 6.00 am and continuously from 8.00 am we have moved amongst a roar of thunder. At present we are within a very few miles of our warships and transports, which are stationary here. What a sight! Their big guns never cease, and as we see the flash and burst of the shells on land, we think thousands of Turks must be going under. Has ever a bombardment like this taken place before? Our men are very calm, and some are even lying about reading and taking no notice of the bombardment. Boom, boom, boom. It never ceases. What batteries could reply to these 15 inch mouths of destruction.
Monday 26th April 3.15 am. 'Packs on' was roared out. Torpedo destroyers are alongside to take us ashore. 9.40 am. On shore in the thick of it. The first casualty in our company was in my section. Just before dawn we were on the destroyers waiting for surf boats to take us ashore. Stray bullets were landing around us and suddenly Private Tohill who was standing just in front of me dropped with a bullet through his shoulder. Immediately after, Private Swayne was shot in the forehead. It was a relief to get ashore. The Australians were frightfully cut about effecting a landing yesterday. They say there are at least 6000 casualties. They did heroic work and the whole world will know of it. We are in a gully immediately behind the firing line and will be called in to relieve at any moment. Two New Zealand battalions were in last night and got cut about. The Turks have overwhelming numbers and it is a perfect wonder how the Australians captured these heights. In landing as many as 49 were killed in one boat and a whole regiment was practically wiped out. The din and roar and whistle of the missiles is awful. As we sit here the ambulance are passing with wounded on the stretchers. 5.00 pm. We climbed heights to take our place in reserve, to firing line. We are right in the fire zone and saw some awful sights.
Tuesday 27th April At daylight this morning a terrific artillery duel raged. The Turks put hundreds of shells onto our landing place. At 10.00 am we were marched north along the beach, and as we got under heights we met crowds of wounded coming down. Oh how callous one gets. Word rushed down from above for Hawkes Bay and Wellington-West Coast Companies to reinforce at the double, as our fellows were getting massacred. We threw off packs and forgot everything in that climb up the cliffs. We fixed bayonets on reaching top and got into it. The country is terribly hilly and covered with scrub from four to five feet high. On we rushed against a rain of bullets and our men began to drop over, before they fired a shot. We started to get mixed and were everywhere amongst the Australians. Our men were dropping in hundreds.
Wednesday 28th April We were relieved about 8 o'clock. Mostly our nerves were gone. We retired back and tried to rest: our casualties were very heavy. We manned the trenches again at 6 o'clock. No sleep and nothing to eat, just a craving for drink, and the wounded always empty our bottles. The Turkish trenches are now on a ridge about 200 yards away. Our warships are shelling them, but unfortunately have also accounted for a number of our casualties."
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/gwbollinger - More letters from Anzac troops who had sent letters back home from Galiipoli
"The day is beautifully fine. We are steaming full speed, close to the southern shores of Gallipoli. What a day of days! We left Lemnos at 6.00 am and continuously from 8.00 am we have moved amongst a roar of thunder. At present we are within a very few miles of our warships and transports, which are stationary here. What a sight! Their big guns never cease, and as we see the flash and burst of the shells on land, we think thousands of Turks must be going under. Has ever a bombardment like this taken place before? Our men are very calm, and some are even lying about reading and taking no notice of the bombardment. Boom, boom, boom. It never ceases. What batteries could reply to these 15 inch mouths of destruction.
Monday 26th April 3.15 am. 'Packs on' was roared out. Torpedo destroyers are alongside to take us ashore. 9.40 am. On shore in the thick of it. The first casualty in our company was in my section. Just before dawn we were on the destroyers waiting for surf boats to take us ashore. Stray bullets were landing around us and suddenly Private Tohill who was standing just in front of me dropped with a bullet through his shoulder. Immediately after, Private Swayne was shot in the forehead. It was a relief to get ashore. The Australians were frightfully cut about effecting a landing yesterday. They say there are at least 6000 casualties. They did heroic work and the whole world will know of it. We are in a gully immediately behind the firing line and will be called in to relieve at any moment. Two New Zealand battalions were in last night and got cut about. The Turks have overwhelming numbers and it is a perfect wonder how the Australians captured these heights. In landing as many as 49 were killed in one boat and a whole regiment was practically wiped out. The din and roar and whistle of the missiles is awful. As we sit here the ambulance are passing with wounded on the stretchers. 5.00 pm. We climbed heights to take our place in reserve, to firing line. We are right in the fire zone and saw some awful sights.
Tuesday 27th April At daylight this morning a terrific artillery duel raged. The Turks put hundreds of shells onto our landing place. At 10.00 am we were marched north along the beach, and as we got under heights we met crowds of wounded coming down. Oh how callous one gets. Word rushed down from above for Hawkes Bay and Wellington-West Coast Companies to reinforce at the double, as our fellows were getting massacred. We threw off packs and forgot everything in that climb up the cliffs. We fixed bayonets on reaching top and got into it. The country is terribly hilly and covered with scrub from four to five feet high. On we rushed against a rain of bullets and our men began to drop over, before they fired a shot. We started to get mixed and were everywhere amongst the Australians. Our men were dropping in hundreds.
Wednesday 28th April We were relieved about 8 o'clock. Mostly our nerves were gone. We retired back and tried to rest: our casualties were very heavy. We manned the trenches again at 6 o'clock. No sleep and nothing to eat, just a craving for drink, and the wounded always empty our bottles. The Turkish trenches are now on a ridge about 200 yards away. Our warships are shelling them, but unfortunately have also accounted for a number of our casualties."
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/gwbollinger - More letters from Anzac troops who had sent letters back home from Galiipoli
The Gallipoli campaign overall was known to be the biggest ally failure attack during the first world war and one of the greatest stands as well as a major victories for the Turkish Empire. Due to the lack of plans carried out by officers as well as being completely unorganized out on the field left allied soldiers to be oblivious to their tasks which they were to carry out. The reasons of failing to land where were meant, lack of inexperienced officers commanding and the disposal of needless death when sending waves of men to meet their fate all lead to our great defeat.
"Loyalty to Empire saw New Zealand send thousands of soldiers to help Britain fight its enemies in Europe and the middle east during the First World War. Here New Zealand and Australian troops - Anzacs - land at Gallipoli in an attempt to capture the Dardanelles. The Campaign was a disaster and the First sentiments of seperate nation hood were stirred by the appalling loss of more than 2700 dead."