The drip rifle was invented by Lance Corporal W. C. Scurry of the 7th Battalion, AIF, with assistance from Private A. H. Lawrence. [Scurry was also a private at the time]
Such devices provided sporadic firing which helped convince the Turks that the Anzac front line was occupied long after thousands of men had crept down to the beaches and escaped. British generals estimated that half the force would be lost in any attempt to withdraw because the Turks could not fail to notice as the trenches were so close. In the event, the Turks were so deceived that 80,000 men were evacuated with only about half a dozen casualties.
Edit: Here’s a picture of Scurry
Wow. Saved something like 40’000 men.
Well if yo go by what op posted it was 80k saved only about 6 suffered injury. But yes many men saved due to the brilliant idea.
I think he’s going off the British estimate that a retreat should have caused them to lose half their men. 1/2 x 80,000 = 40,000
Probably more if you count the injuries too, assuming the British estimate is accurate.
Either way dude deserves a statue if he hasn’t got one yet.
Yeah, the initial estimate was that half would be killed in the evacuation