The Battle
of Scimitar Hill -21st
August 1915
The plan was to attack Scimitar Hill with the 29th Division and the West Hills with the 11th Division, keeping the yeomanry in reserve near the beach. The preliminary artillery barrage looked impressive but achieved little. The British had no clear sight of their targets, which were obscured by mist and smoke, whereas the Ottoman artillery had a clear view of the entire Suvla battlefield.
The 11th Divisions attempt to capture the Western Hills, collapsed in confusion when confronted by an Ottoman strong-point and artillery fire. The Irish retreated from the summit while the undergrowth around them was set ablaze by the shellfire, incinerating the wounded as they lay helpless.
Around 5:00 p.m. the troops of the 2nd Mounted Division were ordered forward from their reserve position on Lala Baba, near the beach. They advanced, marching in formation, across the bed of a dry salt lake. By this time the air was clouded by mist and smoke so that they had little idea of where they were going. The 5,000 men of the five brigades formed in columns by regiment and, marching in extended order, were easy targets for the shrapnel.
Captain William Wedgwood Benn, 1st County of London Yeomanry, 4th
Mounted Brigade, 2nd Mounted (Yeomanry) Division recorded the following.
"At 3.30 pm the 2nd Mounted Division, was ordered to advance from Lala
Baba. One by one the five brigades, each consisting of just under a thousand
men, began to cross the open expanse of the dry Salt Lake. Reminiscent of a
parade, they advanced; regiments followed each other in squadron order, each
squadron then in line of troop order at set regular distances. This would be
their baptism of fire; their journey "Into the jaws of Death, Into the
mouth of Hell".
Painting:
The Yeomanry crossing the Salt Lake, 21 August 1915 by Norman Wilkinson.
Captain Wedgwood-Benn, continued his account:
"After about half-an-hour's progress we reached the enemy's shrapnel, through which, of course, we were bound to pass if we were to attain Chocolate Hill. As each line of the Division advanced into the beaten zone, the shells did their part, being timed to burst just ahead of our march. Casualties began, but our orders were strict, and forbade us to stop for anyone. When men fell they had to be left for the stretcher parties, which were following”.
"After about half-an-hour's progress we reached the enemy's shrapnel, through which, of course, we were bound to pass if we were to attain Chocolate Hill. As each line of the Division advanced into the beaten zone, the shells did their part, being timed to burst just ahead of our march. Casualties began, but our orders were strict, and forbade us to stop for anyone. When men fell they had to be left for the stretcher parties, which were following”.
It would seem likely that Alfred Bush would have been involved in some
way with the stretcher parties and with the crossing of the salt lake.
By 5.00 pm
the whole Division had reached the cover of Chocolate Hill, an advance of
almost two miles. Within half an hour the brigades were on the move to their
new jumping off positions, with little knowledge of the task ahead of them or
of what had already befallen the other divisions.
Captain Wedgwood Benn, continued:
"During the next advance we had no shell fire to meet, only rifle and machine-gun fire, a new experience for us, and one which inspired more fear than it really merited. We ran across the first field and jumped into a line of trench supports of our own, then out again and forward into the next trench, leaping in on top of the men of the Division ahead of us, whose reserves we were. They nearly all, I recollect, shouted to us as we approached to take cover and get down, but almost always tried to wave us away from the particular part they themselves were occupying. The fact was they were packed tight, I should say one man to every fifteen inches. From here we got into a communication trench filled with men of the Irish Division [probably Irish troops from the 86 Brigade] whose gallant attempt earlier in the day had failed. We had to stand aside to let pass a pitiable, ghastly procession of maimed, most of whom had been half-stripped to have their wounds bound by their friends. The horror of that scene will bear no describing”.
Captain Wedgwood Benn, continued:
"During the next advance we had no shell fire to meet, only rifle and machine-gun fire, a new experience for us, and one which inspired more fear than it really merited. We ran across the first field and jumped into a line of trench supports of our own, then out again and forward into the next trench, leaping in on top of the men of the Division ahead of us, whose reserves we were. They nearly all, I recollect, shouted to us as we approached to take cover and get down, but almost always tried to wave us away from the particular part they themselves were occupying. The fact was they were packed tight, I should say one man to every fifteen inches. From here we got into a communication trench filled with men of the Irish Division [probably Irish troops from the 86 Brigade] whose gallant attempt earlier in the day had failed. We had to stand aside to let pass a pitiable, ghastly procession of maimed, most of whom had been half-stripped to have their wounds bound by their friends. The horror of that scene will bear no describing”.
The Mounted Division was now firmly committed to the attack. Bodies were lying all over the ground in front, whilst wounded continued to dribble back from the mist ahead. The scrub was still aflame in many places and the acrid smoke added to the general haze that still covered the battlefield. The continuing din of battle only added to the confusion. All knew that there was only an hour of daylight left; progress had to be made quickly.
Sir Ian Hamilton, who had sailed over from Imbros to watch the battle from the Karakol Dagh, wrote:
"By 6.30 it had become too dark to see anything. The dust mingling with the strange mist, and also with the smoke of shrapnel and of the hugest and most awful blazing bush fire formed an impenetrable curtain. As the light faded the rifles and guns grew silent."
The night of 21 August
brought utter chaos to the British lines, as Captain William Wedgwood
Benn recalls
"A young officer ran along the trench
shouting that the orders were to retire at once. I can remember how foolish I
thought his conduct, for the effect on our troops under fire for the first time
and completely fatigued by ten hours of fighting, was of the worst."
But the night was terrifying for the Turks too. Not sure what exactly was going on, they feared a renewed night attack or perhaps a British breakthrough.
But the night was terrifying for the Turks too. Not sure what exactly was going on, they feared a renewed night attack or perhaps a British breakthrough.
Lieutenant Ismail Hakki Sunata, 2/35th Regiment remembered the tension
of the night.
"It is getting dark. With the ceasing of the artillery fire some calm has descended on the scene. But the infantry fire continues. The sound of the artillery has given way to other sounds. From our left come shouts, moans, groans and screams, and orders are given. The rear of the trenches is full of wounded and moaning men, there are dead also. In the twilight some are coming, some are going, total confusion. Nothing can be understood of what is happening. There are many dead and wounded. The enemy wounded are also calling out in front. The enemy was completely repulsed. The night passed with carrying the wounded and burying the dead. We were all awake. The day’s events had made us so nervous we had forgotten even what sleep was."
Alfred Bush had served in the RAMC during the Boer War but one must wonder if anything could have prepared him for this day. In one day of fighting on the 21st August, the British suffered 5,300 casualties out of the 14,300 soldiers who participated.
"It is getting dark. With the ceasing of the artillery fire some calm has descended on the scene. But the infantry fire continues. The sound of the artillery has given way to other sounds. From our left come shouts, moans, groans and screams, and orders are given. The rear of the trenches is full of wounded and moaning men, there are dead also. In the twilight some are coming, some are going, total confusion. Nothing can be understood of what is happening. There are many dead and wounded. The enemy wounded are also calling out in front. The enemy was completely repulsed. The night passed with carrying the wounded and burying the dead. We were all awake. The day’s events had made us so nervous we had forgotten even what sleep was."
Alfred Bush had served in the RAMC during the Boer War but one must wonder if anything could have prepared him for this day. In one day of fighting on the 21st August, the British suffered 5,300 casualties out of the 14,300 soldiers who participated.
SOURCES:
W. William Wedgwood Benn, In the Side Shows (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1919),
W. William Wedgwood Benn, In the Side Shows (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1919),
I. H. Sunata translated by ‘Reha’, Geliboludan Kafkaslara, (Is Bankasi
Publications) Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=153416&start=15
A. Herbert, Mons, Anzac and Kut (London: Hutchinson, 1919).
S. Chambers, Suvla: August Offensive (Pen & Sword, Barnsley,
2011)
*Latest Research update August 2021
The War Diary for the 1st London Mounted Brigade provides the following information
The Brigade had been stationed at the Nasrieh School Hospital in Cario and following orders had arrived at Alexandria on 14th August then embarking to Mundros arriving on the 17th in the morning and setting sail again in the afternoon to Suvla Bay arriving at 1.50am on the 18th. Assembling at A beach at 9pm on the 20th and from there proceeding to Lala Baba reaching their destination at 3am on the morning on the 21st.
At 1.30pm they were ordered to follow the division at 3.30pm and open an advanced dressing station at Chocolate Hill.
At 4pm the Field Ambulance Brigade left their bivovac and marched following the division over a plain covered with scrub and grass.
5pm - After marching about two miles forward there were many casualties so they opened an advanced dressing station about one mile from Chocolate Hill and one other east of that place. The Sgt. Major and 3 other men were wounded early (all seriously).
Alfred was evacuated to a hospital ship but died of his wounds a few days later on the 25th August. He was buried at sea. (Source : Pat Gariepy info supplied to www.ramc-ww1.com regarding Alfred Bush)
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