BERKSHIRE YEOMANRY

At Alexander, Egypt on 14 August 1915, the Berkshire Yeomanry embarked on the SS Lake Michigan for Gallipoli. This regiment of part time soldiers from Reading, Windsor, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Newbury and Hungerford had left these and other Berkshire towns for war just nine days earlier. They had brought their horses with them, but there would be no need for these now, so they were left in Egypt. The Berkshire Yeomanry landed at ‘A’ Beach, Suvla Bay on 18 August and hardly had the men settled into bivouacs on the west side of Lala Baba when they were rushed forward to meet the enemy. In Richard Caton Woodville’s painting of the event we see what transpired after orders had been received at 5pm on 21 August 1915 to attack Hill 70, the so called Chocolate Hill.

Woodville was aware of the tactic employed by the Turks whereas they set light to brush wood so as to conceal their trenches. Here in the picture we see the smoke and flames which, according to the War Diary of the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade, made any advance difficult. Nonetheless, the enemy’s front trench (seen on the extreme right of the picture) was taken by 6.15pm, but owing to enfilade fire and a heavy counter-attack, the Yeoman were later forced to retire. The strength of the Berkshire Yeomanry going into the attack was 320; those that returned would number just 154.

The regiment’s commanding officer, Major ES Gooch, had been mortally wounded. Also to die was Lieutenant WEG Niven, the father of actor David. The action would also see Private

FWO Potts awarded the Victoria Cross.