Bassett was the only New Zealander to be awarded the Victoria Cross at Gallipoli, although there were numerous other acts equally worthy. Official recognition, in terms of the Victoria Cross, were to embitter New Zealand soldiers at Gallipoli, who thought that they were neglected in comparison to the Australians. Blame was directed at their commander, Major General Alexander Godley, who was rumoured at the time to have quashed numerous VC recommendations, posthumously or otherwise, for the belief that his men were merely doing their jobs. Bassett, during an interview some fifty years later, stated: All my mates ever got were wooden crosses.25

After the few reinforcements had arrived from the Auckland Mounted Rifles, the Turks began to shell Malone’s position, followed by another Turkish bayonet charge, again repulsed. The Anzac artillery and Royal Navy then began to drop shells onto Chunuk Bair, a few of which fell close to Malone’s position. It was either this, or the Turks artillery, that killed Malone and wounding several others.

Towards 5 pm, the shelling seemed to have ceased and Lieutenant Colonel Malone and Major Schofield stood up together in the trench with the idea of looking over the ground and deciding the dispositions of the troops to be maintained during the night and where the men of the Auckland Regiment might most profitably be employed. Just at this moment, the Turk fired his last salvo and the gallant Colonel fell with a ball through the head while Colonel [sic] Schofield received a ball through the lung. Throughout that long and arduous day, Lieutenant Colonel Malone had fought with his men and none knew better what a magnificent fight they had put up. Armed only with an entrenching tool, he had, time after time, dashed in among the firing lines when the Turks threatened to break through, encouraging his men with his words and example. He was firmly resolved that the Regiment would rather perish than yield the hill.²⁶

Major William Cunningham took command and as soon as the shelling stopped so did the Turkish counter attacks. As darkness fell the Wellington Mounted Rifles and the Otago Infantry Battalion were ordered up onto Chunuk Bair to reinforce what was left of Malone’s men. Lieutenant Colonel William Meldrum, commanding the Wellington Mounted Rifles wrote:

The men we relieved were the Wellington infantry and mounted men, under Colonel Malone. They had been cut about pretty badly, especially the mounted men, who had lost about 190 out of 240 odd. We realised we had no soft thing, and dug in, improving and adding to the trenches till daylight. Several threats were made by the Turks, who were just on the brow in front of us, but no attack was made before dawn.