VC

THROSSELL, Second-Lieutenant Hugo Vivian Hope






10th Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F


The following text was taken from the book "They Dared Mightily" Published by the War Memorial. 1963


29th-3Oth August 1915, at Kaiakij Aghala (Hill 60), Gallipoli Peninsula
CITATION: For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during operations on the Kaiakij Aghala (Hill 60) in the Gallipoli Peninsula on 29th and 30th August 1915. Although several wounded in several places during a counter-attack, he refused to eave is post or to obtain medical assistance till all danger was passed, when he had his wounds dressed and returned to the firing-line until ordered out of action by the Medical Officer. By his personal courage and example he kept up the spirits of his party, and was largely Instrumental in saving the situation at a critical period. (London Gazette: 15th October 1915.)

THEY DARED MIGHTILY

This, the only Victoria Cross to be awarded to the Australian Light Horse, was gained when the 10th Regiment, with several others, was being used as infantry on Gallipoli, and performed splendidly in the unaccustomed role.
Hill 60 was a most important tactical feature on the tangled and pre-cipitous fighting front of Gallipoli. It had been attacked on 21st August, and although the attack was partially successful, another one was launched on 27th August to complete the capture of the hill. Extremely bitter hand-to-hand fighting ensued , in which elements of the 4th and 5th Australian Brigades, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 5th Connaught Rangers participated. The summit was actually gained, but before the newly-won positions could be reinforced with fresh troops, the Turks counter-attacked fiercely and drove the Connaught Rangers from their shallow trenches. The New Zealanders managed to hold on, and the 9th Light Horse Regi-ment attacked to regain the lost ground. Although the 9th made a gallant attempt, it was out-bombed by the enemy, who still held the positions.

This was the situation when at 10 p.m. on 28th August the 10th Regiment was ordered to move up and attack from the New Zealand positions. Jumping-off positions, consisting of breast-high trenches on the New Zealanders' left, were allotted; every second man was given a bag of bombs, and the orders were that the objective-some 150 yards of trench about eighty yards distant-was to be captured, deepened, barricaded and held.


At 1 a.m. on the 29th the horsemen leapt forward across No Man's Land, and their swift, determined rush brought them almost to the Turkish trenches before the enemy realised what was happening. Seconds later, they were in the trenches, and a series of violent man-to-man scuffles broke out, after which those defenders who were able to do so scrambled out and retired to a position further back. A second wave now joined the original attackers, and consolidation commenced.


But the Turk had no intention of giving in so easily. From his alternative position he launched a furious frontal and enfilade fire upon the Australians, and casualties mounted swiftly. There was intense activity in the trench under this heavy fire, as the troops dug into the cement-hard soil to deepen it, and filled sandbags for barricades.

Then, within thirty minutes, the Turks launched the first counter-attack. With screams of "Allah! Allah!" they swooped upon the Light Horse-men, hurling a cascade of bombs before them. They stormed and over-whelmed the barricade and trench with a ferocity until then unknown. The thin ranks of the 10th fought back superbly. The barricade was re-built, another was commenced farther along the trench, and the men met the Turks with bomb and bayonet at point-blank range. Once again, the superiority and ease of use of the Turkish bombs was manifested, but the Australians again resorted to catching them in flight and hurling them back before explosion although there were many casualties from this extremely risky practice. Throssell and a small party indulged in this activity to great effect on the right flank in all the counter-attacks.


The enemy was driven back into No Man's Land among heaps of dead, hut at 3 a.m. on the 30th there came another attack. Another terrific fight took place, in which because of the unequal numbers and the enemy's inexhaustible supply of bombs, our men should have been overwhelmed. Yet despite the appalling odds, the 10th fought the Turks out of the trench back to their own lines. Shortly before daylight came still another attack, with the same result, and at dawn the counter-attacks ceased. Consoli-dation then went ahead, the 9th was again brought in, also a battalion of Gurkhas, and the enemy accepted defeat.


General Sir Ian Hamilton reported: "Knoll 60 now ours throughout, commands the Biyuk Anafarta Valley with men and fire-a big tactical scoop." In fact, something more than half the summit of Hill 60 was still in enemy hands, but the fighting of 27th to 30th August had given the left of the Anzac troops an excellent position astride the spur.