58/32 Infantry
Battalion Association Incorporated.
Maj.Gen.Pompey Elliott
Gallipoli Campaign - He left Australia in October 1914, was shot in the foot on the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and rejoining his battalion in June was in the midst of the fighting at Lone Pine in August. Following this, Pompey was sent to the Suez Canal and below is a sample of "Pompeys Leadership" during the mission to get there.
On arriving at Suez, the water that the Battalion had been promised was nowhere to be found. They were assured that the water was coming, but hours later it still had not appeared. Elliott then made one of the "vigorous protests" that he was becoming famous for. He even threatened to march them back across the Suez Canal to get them a drink. "It was outrageous to deprive men of water in the desert, and their understandable fury could escalate into mutiny," Elliott thundered. He was then assured that the water would be available at 5.30 the next morning.
Elliott was up at 5am, where he found many of his men had been unable to sleep due to their thirst and were licking at the taps around camp. He found the camp's Chief Engineer who informed him that the Egyptian authorities had not provided enough water for the troops in camp and that he had strict orders not to start the pumps before 8am, as it would wake the Corps Commander.
Elliott remounted his horse and tore off to Corps Headquarters, where he informed a yawning Staff Officer that unless the water was turned on in the next five minutes, the 7th Battalion would be assembling and telling the Corps Commander exactly what they thought of him.
The Staff Officer made a phone call, and Elliott was warned that he shouldn't make such a fuss. again.
He simply replied,
" that he would do whatever was needed to help his men, whenever he had to"
AND WALKED OUT !