Depleted Territorials

1st/5th Bedfords' dugout at Gallipoli

Wednesday 20th October 1915: The operations at Gallipoli drag on. It is now nearly five months since our troops along with those of the French landed on this rocky peninsula and a quick advance to the Turkish city of Constantinople was expected. Instead they have got, at most, a few miles.

The 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has been in this scrub-covered wasteland for more than two months. It went into action gloriously, taking two hills but suffered huge casualties. Daily wastage from Turkish rifles and shells and from the effects of disease has taken its toll and the strength of this once splendid battalion has been reduced by around two thirds to just 236, including 22 men putting fuses into grenades at ANZAC Beach.

Source: X550/6/8