25 June 1915

ANZAC - Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone, Wellington Battalion, New Zealand Brigade, NZ&A Division had made a real difference to conditions at Quinn's Post. Not only had he reorganised the men's billets in terraces behind the post, but he had seized the initiative in the constant battle of sniping and bombing with the Turks that marked Quinn's as the hottest of hot spots at Anzac. That day he summed up his success in a letter.

"I am extremely busy here. I am officer commanding of this Post one which was causing our Generals great anxiety. I was shifted with my Battalion, from another post, and told that I was relied on to improve things. I have been here 16 days. The Turks [according to a deserter] think our troops here are wonderful shots and on account of the number of men shot in the head and face through the loopholes in the trenches, orders have been issued that men are to keep away from loopholes and when using them simply to put the rifle into position and fire. It has been and is strenuous work, night and day, rifles and bombs. Our daily average of bombs thrown is 182. Our frontage is only 200 yards. Owing to the Turks bombing 50 yards of our fire trench had been abandoned, that is no one could go into it, as the Turks from their trench 15 yards away pitched bombs into it. Bombing cuts two ways so the first day I came in I ordered two bombs to be thrown for every one of the Turks. Result, we have resumed occupation of the abandoned trench and the Turk trench opposite is an awful wreck. The more my men get to do the more they distinguish themselves. I am naturally very proud of them. No better soldiers in the world."

 

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SOURCE: W. G. Malone quoted J. Crawford, No Better Death: The Great War Diaries and Letters of William G Malone(Auckland: Reed Publishing Ltd, 2005), p.255