Twelve Tree Copse
You’re at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery. At the back of the cemetery is the New Zealand Memorial to the Missing, which commemorates those whose bodies were never found or identified in the battle at Krithia on the 8th of May 1915. You are standing just north of where the New Zealand Infantry Brigade attacked.
If you look towards the village you can see the minaret of the mosque that was the New Zealand goal. The Turkish frontline was perhaps 300 to 400 metres from where you are standing and stretched across the front of this village.
An Australian and a New Zealand Infantry Brigade were brought down from Anzac. The New Zealand attack took place on the 8th of May at 10.30 in the morning. After a 15-minute artillery bombardment, three New Zealand Battalions with one in reserve attacked either side of where you are standing. They went through these open fields, which the soldiers referred to as the Daisy Patch because of the wild daisies and poppies that grew in profusion.
The New Zealanders started their attack well behind the British frontline and many men were killed before they even got to the front trenches. As they approached the area where you stand they came under intense fire. The Wellington Infantry Battalion, which was to the left of you advanced the furthest. They got about 300 metres beyond the frontline.
Because of the intense fire everyone took cover. The living lay among the dead. They dared not move because Ottoman snipers shot at any sign of life. Many men spent all day in the hot sun absolutely still, listening to the moans of their mates nearby, yet they were unable to do anything to help.
Men went to ground and if they had their entrenching tool, they put the shovel part over their head to give them some protection.
General Hamilton ordered another attack at 5.30 p.m. and so the Otago Battalion, which had been in reserve, came up and linked up with the Canterbury, Auckland and Wellington Infantry Battalions. After 15 minutes of artillery bombardment, the New Zealanders attacked again. This time the Australians on your right also attacked and both brigades were cut to pieces.
On the 8th of May 1915, New Zealand had over 800 casualties. This attack marked the end of any further offensive action on the part of the New Zealanders at Krithia. They dug in and remained here manning the trenches.
They then went into reserve and worked as a labour force at the beaches. Finally they were taken back to Anzac Cove in late May, where they reinforced the defences and played their part in the August offensive.
Some of the New Zealand dead are buried in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, but most are missing, with no known graves. They are commemorated on the wall of this memorial. In fact, of the 2,779 New Zealand dead from the Gallipoli campaign, there are only 341 graves. Some are buried at sea but most are missing.
There are still bones scattered through the fields where this New Zealand attack took place. Though they could be Turkish or British, they could also be the bones of New Zealand soldiers.
Twelve Tree Copse Wewe ni katika Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery. New Zealand Memorial to the Missing ni ukumbusho wa watu waliopotea katika vita vya Krithia mnamo Mei 8, 1915. Mnasimama kaskazini tu ya mahali ambapo Kikosi cha Wanajeshi wa New Zealand kilishambulia. Katika eneo la kijiji, unaweza kuona minara ya msikiti wa New Zealand. Mstari wa mbele wa Uturuki ulikuwa labda mita 300 hadi 400 kutoka mahali ulipo na ulipita mbele ya kijiji hiki. Kikosi cha Wanajeshi wa Australia na New Zealand kilitolewa kutoka Anzac. Shambulio hilo la New Zealand lilifanyika tarehe 8 Mei saa 10.30 asubuhi. Baada ya mabomu ya risasi kwa dakika 15, vikosi vitatu vya New Zealand na kikosi kimoja cha hifadhi vilishambulia pande zote mbili za mahali ulipo. "Walipita katika mashamba hayo yaliyo wazi, ambayo askari-jeshi waliita ""Mashamba ya Daisy"" kwa sababu ya maua ya daisy na poppy yaliyokuwa yakikua sana." New Zealanders walianza mashambulizi yao nyuma ya mstari wa mbele wa Uingereza na wanaume wengi waliuawa kabla hata hawajafika kwenye mitaro ya mbele. Walipokuwa wakikaribia eneo unaloishi walipatwa na risasi kali. Kikosi cha Wanajeshi cha Wellington, kilichokuwa upande wa kushoto wa wewe kilipanda mbali zaidi. Walikuwa wamepita mita 300 kutoka kwenye mstari wa mbele. Kwa sababu ya moto mkali kila mtu alijificha. Walio hai walikuwa miongoni mwa wafu. Hawakuweza kutembea kwa sababu wapiganaji wa Ottoman walifyatua risasi ishara yoyote ya uhai. Wanaume wengi walitumia siku nzima katika jua kali kabisa, kusikiliza moans ya wake zao karibu, lakini hawakuweza kufanya chochote kusaidia. Wanaume walienda chini ya ardhi na ikiwa walikuwa na chombo cha kuimarisha, waliweka sehemu ya jembe juu ya kichwa chao ili kuwapa ulinzi. Wakati huo huo, Jenerali Hamilton aliamuru shambulio jingine saa 5:30 jioni, na hivyo Batailioni ya Otago, ambayo ilikuwa katika hifadhi, ilikuja na kuunganishwa na Batailioni za Canterbury, Auckland na Wellington. Baada ya dakika 15 za mashambulizi ya makombora, New Zealand ilishambulia tena. Wakati huu Waustralia upande wako wa kulia pia walishambulia na vikosi vyote viwili vilikatwa vipande vipande. Mnamo Mei 8, 1915, New Zealand ilishindwa na jeshi la Marekani. Shambulio hili liliashiria mwisho wa hatua yoyote ya mashambulizi zaidi kutoka kwa New Zealanders huko Krithia. Walichimba na kubaki hapa wakisimamia mapango. Kisha wakaenda kwenye hifadhi na kufanya kazi kama wafanyakazi kwenye fuo za bahari. Mwishowe walirudi Anzac Cove mwishoni mwa Mei, ambapo waliongeza ulinzi na kucheza sehemu yao katika mashambulizi ya Agosti. Baadhi ya watu waliokufa nchini New Zealand wamezikwa katika makaburi ya Twelve Tree Copse, lakini wengi wao hawajulikani na hawana makaburi. Wanakumbukwa kwenye ukuta wa ukumbusho huu. Kwa mujibu wa takwimu za polisi, watu 2,779 waliokufa katika vita vya Gallipoli nchini New Zealand, walifariki wakiwa na makaburi 341. Baadhi yao wamezikwa baharini lakini wengi wao hawajulikani. Bado kuna mifupa iliyotawanyika katika mashamba ambapo shambulio hili la New Zealand lilitokea. Ingawa huenda zikawa za Kituruki au za Uingereza, pia zinaweza kuwa mifupa ya askari wa New Zealand.