Circumstances Leading to Death 

The battalion war diary covering the Gallipoli Campaign was lost at sea during the Evacuation from Gallipoli in December 1915.

Taken from: Carry On Sergeant Major: The story of Company Sergeant Major Thomas Charles Craddock MM - 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment by Peter Shergold

The 11th Division, commanded by Major General Sir Edward Fanshawe, consisted of the 32nd and 33rd Infantry Brigades. The 33rd Brigade contained four infantry battalions, the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, the 6th Battalion Border Regiment, 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. In addition, the Brigade contained the 33rd Machine Gun Company in support. All of these units were ‘Service Battalions’ of Kitchener’s New Army, unproven in battle. Thomas Craddock was now in A Company of the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, part of the follow-on assault units which were to come ashore at ‘B Beach’ just south of Nibrunesi Point, at 10am on 7th August 1916.

It was planned that the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment would come ashore to a beachhead which had been secured in the night, and conduct a forward passage of lines, securing the high ground inland. A, B and D Companies landed on two lighters towed by destroyers under the command of Major Yool, and in conjunction with three companies of the 9th Sherwood Foresters.

The landing for the 11th Division in pitch darkness had become chaotic, with many units getting lost and missing their objectives. Ottoman snipers targeted the British as they landed, causing further chaos in the inexperienced British ranks. Although the first objective ‘Hill 10’ had been taken, this was due to the Ottomans withdrawing rather than any feet of arms. However, the landing of the 7th Battalion had been uneventful, with only a few Turks firing and running away after, although Lieutenant Thomson was wounded. They moved inland and dug in on a line from ‘Salt lake’ to the sea.

The next morning, a number of patrols were sent forward, with two men being killed, but the main actions were with other units of the division. The battalion was mainly focused on digging trenches and defensive positions. A, B and D Companies were in the front line, C Company in reserve. There was a huge amount of dysentery across the battalion due to eating fruit and vegetables whilst in Imbros. Orders were then received for an attack on the morning of 9th August.

The battalion woke at 3am on the 9th and moved to its assembly area by 4am, just northwest of chocolate hill.  Whilst moving forward Captain Cowap was wounded in the head. The battalion objective was Anafarta village, 1500 yards to the front, which was to be assaulted by 6th Border Regiment on the left, 7th South Staffordshire Regiment in the centre and 6th Lincoln Regiment on the right. At 5am the advance started, but quickly was held back by heavy fire and counterattacks.

There was overlapping of the lead units of the 7th South Staffords and the 6th Lincolns, with Major Yool moving forward to try and untangle them. However at 6am as the battalion reached Hill 70 they came under a huge weight of Ottoman artillery fire, with the shrapnel inflicting many casualties. Within minutes every officer in A, B and D Company were killed or wounded. Major Yool continued forward with a bullet in his arm but was then shot in the leg. The soldiers were caught in the open, and by 10am the scrub bushes caught alight wounding many on the ground further with horrid burns.

The battalion suffered considerably, losing the commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Daukes and many soldiers. On the day, 44 men were reported killed and 206 men wounded, which was later revised to 119 men killed, including five Captains and six Lieutenants, with many more wounded. Such losses were devastating to the battalion’s ability to function with both the Commanding Officer, and the Adjutant killed, as well as many company officers. Captain Ransford took over command from the 10th to 13th August. The battalion held the line and quickly they were forced to dig trenches. Such digging was extremely difficult with the Ottomans firing from above, and the hard rock surfaces.