Chocolate Hill - 7 August 1915

 7th August, 1915 - Suvla, Gallipoli Penninsular

The men of the 6th Battalion found themselves filing along a narrow path between the Salt Lake and Lala Baba, behind the 6th Lincolns. The Turks started shelling the area, and the Battalion had to get what shelter it could in a ravine on the side of Lala Baba. There were casualties, one killed and 22 wounded. The objective was now Chocolate Hill, which should have been taken by dawn.

The Adjutant of the battalion, Captain George Darwell explains:

'At about 5pm Chocolate Hill had not fallen, so the Reserves were called out. We followed the Lincolns, moved across the sand spit, and got into artillery formation, and began to advance via the north side of the Salt Lake.' 

He continues 'We reached the ditch as it was getting dark and by then had lost about 60 men. Colonel Broadrick sent 2/Lieutenant Montmorency to find out at what point, if any, the Lincolns needed reinforcing, but de Montmorency was wounded before he could give his answer. The Colonel, nevertheless, ordered 'A' and 'B' Companies to close up to the brow of the hill and to press on in fairly close formation. This they did, and the companies arrived in close support of he charge of he Lincolns up the hill, which they took. Shortly after Chocolate Hill was taken, I took the telephone up, and on reaching the top, found three Companies of the Lincolns, ttwo Companies of 6 Border under Captains Cunningham and Rutherfoord, with Dublin Fusiliers and Royal Irish Fusiliers.'

Taken from Glory is No Compensation - The Border Regiment at Gallipoli, 1915 by Ralph May


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