The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-01-11

"The battle of Ypres has gone into
history, and because of their dash
and daring two Irish battalions were
practically wiped out for getting too
far ahead without support. They
were the I'd Leinsters and the ROYAL
Irish. The Leinsters held out day
and half until French troops saved
them, but the Royal irish were cut off
and all but few were killed or cap.
tured.
I'm one sector 16 officers and 597
men were lost by the Irish Guards in
fighting for SOME 200 yards of ground.
OF one battalion but AZ answered roll
call. When the Germans swooped
down on the Gordon Highlanders and
there were left but 40 Of them, With
humiliation staring them, the Con-
naught Rangers came up and turned
the tide.
against 1000 Germans the 500
Connaughts and 10 Gordons slashed
forward and when the battle ended
40 Germans were wiped out and 70
more were prisoners. Later on, in a
charge against the German entrenched
positions, a battalion of the MINISTERS
were the only ones to storm the
trenches, and out of 800 that went
over the top across 900 yards of open
plain against the murderous fire but
200 men and three officers survived.
'In one engagement the Liverpool
Irish took trench, and then aiding
the French took three miles of the
Hun lines. At Festubert the I'd 1nnis-
killens by daring attack made it
possible for the whole division to
sweep on and win where another di-
vision had been defeated.
ut would take whole page to tell
the Dardanelles and Gallipoli story
that cost England 114,555 officers and
men and the 10th Irish Division more
than a third Of it's forces. Just imag
inc trying to land on Revere Beach
not realizing that the water had been
covered with barbed wire attached tc
hundreds of mines.
"And the landing place only a mar
row strip With hills rising above, hav
ing concealed many machine guns
field pieces, rif1emen, ETC., and topped
by fort, all within a stones throw
of the invaders. The Dublins ant
MINISTER'S were sent to land agains
the strongest position.
1.-THE Dublins, who started asbor,
in boats, were wiped out wholesale, a
they neared the beach, from bullet
and contact mines. 1t was pitiful t.
lsee the boats, battered and torn from
the hail of lead, with the men mangle
lin heaps so the little craft drifted ur
manageable with the tide past othe
lships, survivors told me.
"Only few of the Dublins go
ashore. Then the MINISTER'S were OF
dered to get ready to take their turr
They saw all this, a lot of young kid
making their first venture into wal
fare. Out of the sides of a troopshi
they flowed onto lighters and POI
, ICONS, where the Turks had exat
range.
1.-TWO out of every. three topple
over, killed or wounded, but they keI
on getting into the water and maxim
the landing. 1t was murderous, br
they did it, though some 700 of tn
1000 MINISTER'S were killed, wounde
: or drowned. At night others lande
f without losing man.
t '"And in the morning they storme
the hill and captured it. Officers VIII
, were there told me it was magnificer
. to see them from the ships, their yell
echoing out over the water and bein
returned by the jacEies.
"To aid the Dominion forces Ian,
ing was made at Sdava Bay and tn
t Irish were ordered to capture Choc'
t late Hill, an important point. It NEAR
/ an enveloping movement of doze
miles across dry, bare country wit
8 the Turks having the exact range {
r every section.
) "Then came hills and gullies wit
5 concealed enemies everywhere. BIZ
g before sunset Chocolate Hill was tai
r en-, following charge by the Dublin
S Inniskillens, and Irish Fusiliers. An
= they stuck there nearly week b.
fore they were relieved.
! ut was the 9Th Leinsters that to-
ped Sari Bahir, the hardest spot o
8 the ridge, from which the Dardanelle
f could be seen And to do this the
: made charge quickly when Ne
Zeaianders came retreating down tn
hill, the Irishmen retaking the plac
in 20 minutes.
, Fight, fight and charge was tn
ek~ ~ ~ "a