Mad minute drove out enemy troops

German troops retreated when faced with a British Army ‘ mad minute’. the Observer reported 100 years ago.

Pte D Faulds, 7th A& SH, told the story from his hospital bed at Dundee Infirmary, where he was recovering from the effects of gas poisoning.

The Stirling man was referring to an incident on May 2 when gas had driven the East Lancashire Regiment from the trenches and their positions were about to be occupied by the Germans. Had they done that, they would have be able to pour deadly fire on British soldiers right and left.

Pte Foulds reported that the 7th Argylls were having none of that.

“They fastened on their respirators and those who were not so well equipped placed hankerchiefs over their mouths,” he said.

“They dashed up to the front trench and gave the enemy the British mad minute. The fusilade was more than the enemy could stand and those who were able turned tail .”

More details of heavy fighting came from a local soldier serving in the Dardanelles.

The unnamed member of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, writing to a friend in Aberfoyle, said he had just been pulled from the firing line and appreciated the rest as they had suffered “very heavy losses”.

He went on: “We landed here on Sunday and waded ashore up to the waist in water and then we had to climb a very steep cliff.

“The Turks were waiting for us at the top and, although we offered very stubborn resistance and drove them back repeatedly, we had to retire to the ships again with about 300 casualties, all received during the Sunday night and Monday morning.

“However, we have secured a proper landing now and are driving them back daily.

“The thing that keeps us back is a large fort in front of us and I hear we are to take it at the point of a bayonet.

“The Turks attacked our trenches the other night and we swung our machine guns up and kept up heavy rifle fire.

“You should have seen the fields in front of us next morning. They were covered in dead 10 deep. It is awful to see some of your comrades by your side shot down. Perhaps they are speaking to you at the time and it makes you fit to do anything.

“The first night we landed was the worst yet. You could see the men dropping all around you and hear wounded men praying aloud for daylight.

“I don’t think there was a man alive next morning who had not said his prayers during the night.

“Our CO told us afterwards that we were fighting one man to 10.

“Now we have got started I hope it will soon be over.”