Redemption - Leon Uris [273]
We made one more run-through of the plan. I must have fallen asleep sitting up over the map because the next thing I knew, Jeremy was tapping my shoulder.
Jeez, I’d just gone to sleep and it was turning dark, already. I hefted my canteens and pondered if I could treat myself to a few sips, and did. We chewed on hardened chocolate bars, like pressed wood…supposed to give us energy.
Everything had a good feel to it. Although we were in a different location, it seemed like a normal night on Gallipoli. Farting Ferdinand started the party. Then came Turkish howitzers. Good. They were shooting from a different location than last night. This meant they were occupied during the day moving their guns and hadn’t spotted Kiwi. Except for the brush along the banks, Australia Gully was not particularly sheltered. If they knew we were there, they’d certainly be laying it on us now.
Lance Corporal Willumsen was the hairy man now. He took the point. Jeremy was behind him with half of Reconn A. I followed with the second part of the platoon, Reconn B.
“We’re formed up, Colonel.”
“Don’t let the line get strung out. We assemble at the top of the Ravine.”
Willumsen put on his night eyes as we crept from Anzac lines into Turkish Territory. The Kiwi All-Blacks were glorious. You couldn’t hear voice nor rattle.
2015
Top of the Ravine
Reconn A and B held as the battalion tightened up.
Subaltern Higby brought up the First Platoon of the Auckland Company with an extra pair of machine guns. Our first target was to knock out a crucial Turkish position, an observation post called the Farm that guarded the opening to the Ravine from the western side.
As the raiding party took off, Subaltern Mellencamp brought the Fourth Platoon of the Wellingtons up, had them fix bayonets, and move into the Ravine to seek and destroy any Turkish patrols.
2125
The Ravine’s echoes were voluminous. Mellencamp was hit by a Turkish ambush a few hundred yards in. Chris quickly moved in the Maori Company and they overwhelmed the Turks and abandoned the silence with a haka war cry.
…At the same time Higby had achieved total surprise at the Farm, knocking it out in one big burst.
…Higby in, Mellencamp and the Maoris back.
…Malone kept the Maoris right in back of Reconn, expecting the Turks to take a big look in the Ravine. Old Joshua was right! Wham! Fifty Turks! The Maoris, at fixed bayonets, plunged into them while the Wellington Company swung around the battle and got behind the Turks.
No Turks escaped.
* * *
We assembled, once more. It was 2350. Would the Turks come again or call it a night? When would they know for certain that the Farm had been taken? We had a small comfort in that the Turkish phones were even worse than ours were, so they might not become alarmed at the loss of contact. Activity in the Ravine? About normal for a heavy night.
“Well, let’s get in there,” Malone said. “We won’t have to speculate long. They’ll know in another hour and a half what we’re up to when the Navy starts.”
We moved a little more quickly now, and not so wary of maintaining silence. Abdul knew we were in the Ravine…we only hoped he didn’t know how many of us were there.
0130
There she is!
Steep, soft earth rivulets worn by centuries of water during the rainy season into perilous chimney-stack formations at the base of a dirty cliff.
Malone and Chris huddled with us for a big decision. Willumsen, Jeremy, and I could get Reconn up to the base of the cliff fore certain, so we wouldn’t have far to climb at dawn. This could give total surprise.
However, we stood more than a fair chance of getting hit by our own shells if they fell short, as they often did. However—and this is some bloody “however”—the closer we climbed to the plateau and waited, the shorter distance we’d have to go at dawn and the greater the chance of effecting surprise.
“Always in a case of