THE TENTH (IRISHJ DIVISION IN GALLIPOn Bv MAJOM,.BmMi COOPV mmmitmw^fimmmmmmmmm _i_^^ w THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION ' * •* • I • • • • > • • .• • • • • • • a • « » 9 >& MUI.KS IN IIIK ANZAC SAP THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION IN GALLIPOLI BY BRYAN COOPER MAJOR, GENERAL LIST NEW ARMIES FORMERLY 5TH SERVICE BATTALION THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY Major-Gen. SIR BRYAN MAHON, D.S.O. WITH APPRECIATIONS BY MR. ASQUITH MR. BALFOUR SIR EDWARD CARSON MR. JOHN REDMOND HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED 3 YORK STREET ST. JAMES'S LONDON S.W.I ^ ^ MCMXVIII ^^« 3 Ct " So they gave their bodies to the common weal and received, each for his o\m memory, praise that will never die, and with it the grandest of all sepulchres, not that in which their mortal bones are laid, but a home in the minds of men, where their glory remains fresh to stir to speech or action as the occasion comes by."—Thucydides. " It seems as if this poor Celtic people were bent on making what one of its own poets has said of its heroes hold ' good for ever : They went forth to the war but " they always fell.' —Matthew Arnold. I^RINTED BY BUSLBIGH LTD., At VRB BVKLBIOH NtBtS, BRISTOL, ENGLAND TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE TENTH IRISH DIVISION WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN GALLIPOLI AND TO THOSE WHO MOURN FOR THEM c: 352:ii; APPRECIATIONS Major Cooper's narrative of the exploits of the loth Division in the GalHpoH Campaign is a moving and inspiring record, of which Irish- men everywhere may well be proud. I trust that it will be widely read in all parts of the Empire. (Sd.) H. H. ASQUITH This war has been fruitful in deeds of splendid heroic endurance but neither in bravery and ; bravery nor endurance have the loth Division in the Gallipoli Campaign been surpassed by any of their brothers-in-arms who have been fighting in Europe and iVsia for the cause of civilisation and freedom. (Sd.) ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR Dear Bryan Cooper, I am very glad that you have undertaken to record the splendid services of the loth Division in Gallipoli. Their magnificent bravery in the face of almost insurmountable viii THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION difficulties and discomforts stands out amongst the countless acts of heroism in this war, and I think it particularly apt that the history of the actions of these brave Irishmen in the campaign should be recorded by a gallant Irish officer. Yours sincerely, (Sd.) EDWARD CARSON I have been asked to write a short Foreword to the following pages, and I do so with the utmost pleasure. By the publication of this little book, Major Bryan Cooper will be per- forming a most valuable service, not only to his own country, Ireland, but to the Empire. The history of the loth (Irish) Division is, in many respects, unique. It was the first Irish Division raised and sent to the Front by Ireland since the commencement of the War. Not alone that, but it was the first definitely Irish Division that ever existed in the British Army. Irish Divisions and Irish Brigades played a great part in history in the past, but the}/ were Divisions and Brigades, not in the service of England, but in the service of France and other European countries and America. The creation of the loth (Irish) Division, therefore, marks a turning point in the history of the relations between Ireland and the Empire. THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION ix In many respects, the loth (Irish) Division, notwithstanding the extraordinary and out- standing gallantry that it showed in the field, may be said to have been unfortunate. No Division in any theatre of the War suffered more severely or showed greater self-sacrifices and gallantry. And yet, largely, I fancy, by reason of the fact that its operations were in a distant theatre, comparatively little has been heard of its achievements ; and, for some reason which a civilian cannot understand, the number of honours and distinctions conferred on the Division has been comparatively small. And yet we have the testimony of everyone, from the Generals in Command down, that the Division behaved magnificently, in spite of the most terrible and unlooked-for difficulties and , sufferings. Before they went into action, their artillery was taken from them, and they landed at Suvla and Anzac without a single gun. They were a Division of the new Army entirely made up of men who had no previous military experience, and who had never heard a shot fired. Yet, the very day they landed, they found themselves precipitated into the most tremendous and bloody conflict, exposed to heavy shrapnel and machine-gun fire, on an open strand, where cover was impossible. To the most highly trained and seasoned troops in the world, this would have been a X THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION ordeal to it trying ; but, new troops, was a cruel and terrible experience. And yet the testimony all goes to show that no seasoned or trained troops in the world could have behaved with more magnificent steadiness, endurance, and gallantry. Without adequate water supply —indeed, for a long time, without water at all, owing to mismanagement,—which has yet to be traced home to its source their sufferings were appalling. As Major Bryan Cooper points out, it is supposed to be a German military maxim that no battalion could maintain its morale with losses of twenty-five per cent. Many of the battalions of the loth Division lost seventy-five per cent., and yet their morale remained unshaken. The depleted Division was hastily filled up with drafts, and sent, under-officered, to an entirely new campaign at Salonika, where it won fresh laurels. Another cruel misfortune which overtook them was, that, instead of being allowed to fight and operate together as a Unit, they were immediately split up, one Brigade being attached to the nth Division, and entirely separated from their comrades. There has been some misapprehension created, in certain quarters, as to the constitution of this loth Division and its right to call itself an Irish Division. Major Bryan Cooper sets this question at rest. What really occurred was. 'r THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION xi that, quite early in the business, when recruiting for the loth Division was going on fairly well in Ireland, for some unexplained reason, a number of English recruits were suddenly sent over to join its ranks. They were quite un- necessary, and protests against their incursion into the Division fell upon deaf ears. As it happened, however, it was found that a con- siderable number of these English recruits were Irishmen living in Great Britain, or the sons of Irishmen, and, when the Division went to the Front, Major Bryan Cooper states that fully seventy per cent, of the men, and ninety per cent, of the officers, were Irishmen. That is to say, the Division was as much entitled to claim to be an Irish Division in its constitution as any Division either in England, Scotland, or Wales is entitled to claim that it is an English, or Welsh Division. Scotch, | Men of all classes and creeds in Ireland joined its ranks. The list of casualties which Major Bryan Cooper gives is heart-breaking reading to any Irishman, especially to one like myself, who had so many personal friends who fell gallantly in the conflict. Irishmen of all political opinions were united in the Division. Its spirit was intensely Irish. Let me quote Major Bryan Cooper's words : — " It was the first Irish Division to take the field in War. Irish Brigades there had often been. They had fought under the Fleur- xii THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION de-Lys or the Tricolour of France, and under the Stars and Stripes, as well as they had done under the Union Jack. But never before in Ireland's history had she seen anywhere a whole Division of her sons in the battlefield. The old battalions of the Regular Army had done magnificently, but they had been brigaded with English, Scotch, and Welsh units. The loth Division was the first Division almost entirely composed of Irish Battalions who faced an enemy. Officers and men alike knew this, and were proud of their destiny. As the battalions marched through the quiet English countryside, the ' drums and fifes shrieked out St. Patrick's ' ' Day or Brian Boru's March,' and the dark streets of Basingstoke echoed the voices that ' chanted God Save Ireland,' as the Units marched down to entrain. Nor did we lack the green. One Unit sewed shamrocks into its sleeves. Another wore them as helmet badges. Almost every Company cherished somewhere an entirely unofficial green flag, as dear to the men as if they were the regi- mental colours themselves. They constituted an outward and visible sign that the honour of Ireland was in the Division's keeping, and the men did not forget it/' The men who had differed in religion and politics, and their whole outlook on life, became THE TENTH (IRISH) DIVISION xiii brothers in the loth Division. Unionist and NationaHst, Catholic and Protestant, as Major *' Bryan Cooper says— lived and fought and died side by side, like brothers/' They com- bined for a common purpose : to fight the good fight for liberty and civilisation, and, in a special way, for the future liberty and honour of their own country. Major Bryan Cooper expresses the hope that this experience may be a good augury for the future. For my part, I am convinced that nothing that can happen can deprive Ireland of the benefit of the united sacrifices of these men.