The Diary

Sandy's war, in his own words

Sandy Mulligan volunteered with a few days of the outbreak of World War 1. His service record indicates his service began on August 10, 1914. In April 1915 he was amongst the New Zealand troops who landed at Gallipoli in the Dardenelles. He was there until evacuated in December 1915.

He kept a diary from the time he enlisted until he was evacuated from Gallipoli. The entries are published below on their centenary.

Unfortunately there is a gap in his diary from 5 December 1914 until 9 April 1915 during which there are no entries. It does not appear they are simply "missing".

Timeline showing key events related to New Zealand's involvement in the Gallipoli campaign.

1914

  • 4 August: Britain declares war on Germany
  • 16 October: NZEF Main Body departs Wellington
  • 29 October: Ottoman Empire enters the war as an ally of the Central Powers
  • 3 December: NZEF disembarks at Alexandria, Egypt
  • 8 December: NZEF combines with Australian Imperial Force to form the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)

1915

  • 18 January: New Zealand and Australian Division established
  • 3 February: Ottoman forces attack Suez Canal
  • 11 March: Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Hamilton given command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF)
  • 18 March: Naval attack on the Dardanelles; battleships Queen, Irresistible and Bouvet sunk
  • 15 April: New Zealand troops join the MEF at Lemnos to prepare for the invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula
  • 25 April: Gallipoli landings; the ANZAC lands near Ari Burnu in bay now known as Anzac Cove
  • 27 April: Battle for Walker’s Ridge involving Wellington and Canterbury battalions
  • 28 April: First Battle of Krithia at Helles
  • 2-3 May: Otago Battalion’s attack on Baby 700 fails
  • 5-6 May: NZ Infantry Brigade sent to Helles
  • 6 May: 3rd NZ Reinforcements arrive at Anzac; sent to Helles
  • 8 May: NZ Infantry Brigade takes part in Second Battle of Krithia; attacks defeated
  • 12 May: NZ Mounted Rifles Brigade arrives at Anzac from Egypt; they fight as infantry for the remainder of the campaign
  • 19 May: Major Ottoman attack at Anzac defeated; NZ Infantry Brigade returns from Helles
  • 20 May: Otago Mounted Rifles arrives at Anzac
  • 24 May: Armistice at Anzac to bury dead
  • 7 June: 4th NZ Reinforcements arrive at Anzac
  • 29-30 June: Major Ottoman attack on Anzac perimeter fails
  • 6-7 August: British attack at Cape Helles; Australians attack at Lone Pine, Quinn’s Post and Russell’s Top at The Nek; Old No. 3 Post retaken and Table Top and Bauchop’s Hill taken by NZ Mounted Rifles Brigade
  • 7 August: British land at Suvla Bay; Rhododendron Ridge taken by New Zealanders; Auckland Battalion attack on Chunuk Bair fails
  • 8 August: Wellington Battalion captures Chunuk Bair; reinforced by Auckland Mounted Rifles and two British battalions during the day; relieved by Otago Battalion and Wellington Mounted Rifles that night. The 5th NZ Reinforcements reach Anzac and go into the firing line
  • 9 August: Gurkha battalion reaches saddle between Hill Q and Chunuk Bair; New Zealanders holding Chunuk Bair are relieved at night by British units
  • 10 August: British troops driven from Chunuk Bair by Ottoman counter-attack
  • 11 August: Stalemate at Suvla
  • 21 August: Canterbury and Otago Mounted Rifles take part in attack on Hill 60
  • 26 August: NZ hospital ship Maheno arrives off Anzac
  • 27-29 August: Renewed fighting for control of Hill 60
  • 14 September: NZ brigades evacuated to rest camp at Sarpi on Lemnos
  • 14 October: Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central Powers
  • 16 October: Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Hamilton relieved of command of the MEF
  • 30 October: Hamilton’s replacement, Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Munro, arrives at Gallipoli
  • 8-9 November: NZ brigades return to Anzac Cove
  • 28 November: Big snowstorm hits Anzac
  • 8 December: Munro orders Lieutenant-General William Birdwood to evacuate Anzac and Suvla
  • 10-11 December: Sick, wounded and surplus troops and valuable stores removed
  • 15 December: Detailed orders issued for evacuation
  • 20 December: Evacuation of Anzac and Suvla completed by daylight; troops disembarked at Lemnos
  • 21-31 December: Troops transferred to Egypt from Lemnos 

1916

  • 9 January: Evacuation from Helles completed

1918

  • 6 December: Canterbury Mounted Rifles returns to Gallipoli

Source: ‘A Gallipoli Chronology’, in Christopher Pugsley, Gallipoli: The New Zealand story, Raupo, North Shore, 2008, pp. 360-2

As published at: 'Gallipoli timeline', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/the-gallipoli-campaign/timeline, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 23-Apr-2014; downloaded 12 December 2015