The Kerry men who died in Gallipoli
‘NO FINER EPISODE COULD BE FOUND OF MEN’S BRAVERY’
ONE hundred years ago this week men from Kerry were among the 1st Battalion Munster Fusiliers who landed on the beaches of Gallipoli where they died en masse in front of Turkish guns in one of the most pointless and deadly battles of World War 1.
The outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914 had seen the 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, a regular unit of the British army, consisting of men from Kerry, Limerick, Cork and Clare - which were the recruiting counties for the regiment - stationed in Burma.
With Turkey having entered the war on the side of Germany they attacked Russia, who sought assistance from their ally, Britain, and they decided to carry out offensive operations with this purpose in mind. The 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers, in addition to the battalions of other regiments who were on overseas duties, were recalled to Britain.
They left Burma on 21 October 1914 with 19 officers and 879 other ranks, with many from Kerry and proceeded initially to Calcutta and thence to Bombay and embarked from there on 9 December 1914. Arriving at Avonmouth, Britain on 10 January 1915, they were still in their Indian issue uniforms including drill shorts. The reached Coventry on 11 January 1915, and remained there for three months while they briefly rested, were re-equipped, trained vigorously, and were assigned to the 86th Brigade of the 29th Division.
Departing Britain on 16 March 1915, the 1st Battalion, consisting of 28 officers and 1,002 other ranks, proceeded to Malta and Alexandria, Egypt en route to the Greek island of Lemnos, with every day being involved in practising for the landings.
Then on the morning of 25 April 1915, they sailed on the converted collier River Clyde for Gallipoli. One of the Munsters company commanders noted that what struck him most forcibly was the demeanour of the men - there was not a sound, and this from the light hearted, devil-may-care men from the South of Ireland. Even they were filled with a sense of something impending which was quite beyond their ken.
The ship ran ashore on V Beach at Cape Helles at 6.25am and at first there appeared to be no sign of the enemy. Then, as the disembarkation began, the Turks opened fire, the Munsters, running the gauntlet and cheering wildly were met by a curtain of fire which cut them to pieces, but they never faltered. Many of the men jumped into the water in an attempt to wade ashore, but due to the weight of their kit, which had 250 rounds of ammunition and rations for three days they were pulled under and drowned.
It was remarked by an officer from another regiment that no finer episode could be found of men’s bravery and discipline than this – of leaving the safety of the River Clyde to do what was practically certain death. It was decided to postpone any further attempts at landing the men until nightfall. By midnight they were all ashore, and by mid-morning of 26 April, the fort and village of Sedd el Bahr, which were on the right at V Beach had been cleared.
Unsuccessful attempts over a period of ten months were made to break out of the beachheads with incessant fighting but to no avail, and during this time more men lost their lives.
Eventually it was decided to evacuate the soldiers, and this was completed by January 1916. In fact this was the only aspect of the Gallipoli fiasco that was a complete success. Twenty of the 359 men from the 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers who were killed in action (kia) or died of wounds (dow) came from Kerry. They were; Company Sergeant Major Alfred Bennett, 6426, kia 26 April 1915, Ballyseedy; Corporal Thomas Boyle, 7583, kia 12 July 1915, Listowel; Private John Broder, 9320, dow 7 May 1915, Listowel, Cleveragh; Lance Corporal William Byrnes, 9406, kia 2 May 1915, Listowel; Drummer Edmond Colgan, 8414, dow 30 June 1915, Tralee; Private Robert Dodd, 4797, kia 21 August 1915, Killarney; Private William Fisher, 8972, kia 1 May 1915, Killenhare; Private Patrick Flynn, 8494, kia 1 May 1915, Killorglin; Private Michael Gaffney, 4482, kia 21 August 1915, Tralee; Private Edward Hartnett, 8524, kia 1 May 1915, Tralee; Private Philip Laide, 6317, died 27 November 1915, Tralee; Private Michael McElligott, 9590, dow 26 May 1915, Tralee; Private Denis Moynihan, 9856, dow 27 August 1915, Castleisland; Corporal Thomas O’Connor, 10262, dow 27 August 1915, Tralee; Private John O’Sullivan, 8462, kia 1 May 1915, Tralee; Private Robert Pierce, 4681, dow 22 August 1915, Tralee; Private Michael Reidy, 8690, kia 26 April 1915, Ballyheigue; Private Thomas Rohan, 8683, dow 13 November 1915, Tralee; Private Christopher Sullivan, 5190, kia 21 August 1915, Killarney; and Private John Sullivan, 9540, kia 21 August 1915, Killarney.
These men are buried in cemeteries in Gallipoli, Mudros and Egypt while those with no known graves are commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli and are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to the highest standard.
Mustafa Kemal, who later became known as Ataturk (Father of all Turks), was a Colonel in the Turkish army during the campaign and was involved in defeating the Australian and New Zealand forces (ANZACs) at Gallipoli was very reconcilitory towards those who invaded his country in 1915. In a letter addressed to pilgrims who visited Gallipoli in 1934, and who included parents, siblings and relations of the men who fought and died there he said: “Those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives... you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.”