The Battle for Chunuk Bair - Loss of the heights

“During the night, the Turks massed behind Sari Bair. At dawn, the 6th Royal North Lancashires and 5th Wiltshires, now holding the ridge, were wiped out. Very shortly afterwards, the Turks delivered a tremendous counter-attack down the slopes of Chunuk Bair directed towards the British Battalions on the left of the Apex. On came the attacking waves. Canterbury had four machine-guns while Auckland were able to bring two guns into action. From Rhododendron Spur two Wellington machine-guns, the Maori gun and one Otago gun, firing over the heads of the guns on the Apex, commanded the whole of the approaches from Chunuk Bair. What a harvest of death for our machine-gunners! The Navy and Field Artillery picked up the range. Not a Turk could pass through such a zone of death. Wave after wave was mowed down. It was not long before the Turkish effort was spent.” [Excerpt From: W. H. Cunningham. “The Wellington Regiment (NZEF) 1914 - 1919.”]

“All night they were massing behind Sari Bair, and on the morning of the 10th the whole mass was in motion, moving with the power of an avalanche and the speed of a landslide. The English battalions in front broke and swept away the 16th. The Turks came on. The hill-side was brown with their charging battalions. On toward the "Farm," and the Deres below, and the margin of the sea! It was a bold stroke, executed with determination and courage. For a moment it seemed that no power on earth could stop the moving mass, but the target they made was a good one.”

“The great Turkish counter-attack was the last act in the terrible struggle for Sari Bair. Much had been gained in the territory of great tactical importance. The Turks were shattered and beaten to their knees. Another blow, even a weak one, would have broken them utterly; but the effort had been too great, and it was impossible to strike again. The high places remained with the Turk. Again he brought up fresh troops and fortified the blood-stained hill, until at last opportunity passed for ever.” [Excerpt From: O. E. Burton. “The Auckland Regiment.”]