Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Writing on 24th February 1919, Tpr. Gordon Lord, 7th Australian Light Horse, A.I.F., told of some of his experiences on the Gallipoli peninsula after the Armistice.

“THE A.L.H. TRIP TO GALLIPOLI.

“Trooper Gordon Lord, of the 7th Light Horse, writing to his parents in a letter dated: —February 24, 1919, gives some interesting details of the mission to Gallipoli:

“We sailed on board the Huntcastle, a captured German boat, on November 29, and after four days' sailing we came to Lemnos Island, where we stayed a night. The next morning we steamed up into The Narrows and anchored out side the town of Clanak, [sic] where we stayed five days. It was a wonderful sight passing Cape Helles. We were able to see the spot where the English troops courageously landed their boats, jumped out into the water and ran ashore. One does not wonder at them never taking the place. We disembarked on about May 9, [?] and went into barracks on the banks of The Narrows opposite Chanak. The Turkish fortifications are really wonderful. Their huge 15in. guns bursting on both sides alone explains why the British fleet did not succeed in obtaining entrance. The remains are still to be seen of the ones that tried to get through. The first few days we were there, we walked across to Anzac, to where our boys had done all the fighting, expecting to find and identify some of our mates' graves. But to our disgust the Turks had removed all the crosses and identifications and had burnt them for firewood. We then scouted the whole of Gallipoli Peninsula from one side to the other, searching for hidden guns. We stayed there a couple of months — spent Christmas — on which day we received a large mail of letters, papers, and parcels. After a little more reconnoitring we finally left the Peninsula the latter end of January, on board the Norman, and after four days' journey back through a rough sea to Port Said, we trained to Raffa to rest. I may state that the weather over there was frightfully cold, and we had a fair amount of sickness amongst the men. One New Zealand regiment that accompanied us lost 14 men during the first fortnight from pneumonia. [1] We also had the misfortune to lose one of the best officers [2] we had in the regiment.” [3]

[1] Eleven members of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles died between 8th and 21st December 1918. All are buried in the Chanak Consular Cemetery.

[2] Gallipoli veteran Lieutenant James Dalton, 7th Australian Light Horse, died of pneumonia on 19th December 1918. He is buried in Chanak Consular Cemetery.

[3] 'Daily Observer' (Tamworth, New South Wales), 22nd April 1919.