THE DARDANELLES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8305, 25 November 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES.

AT THE FRONT

COMPARATIVE QUIET

MALCOLM ROSS'S LETTER

WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. ■ Mr Malcolm Ross, New Zealand War Correspondent, cables as follows:

There is comparative quiet along the whole front for several weeks. No fighting of importance -is taking place beyond the usunl bombing of the trenches, sniping and exchange of artillery fire. The troops are settling down for the winter eompaign, but present indications point to the main scene of .action changing to the Balkans.

The enemy was recently concentrating his gun fire largely upon our perimeter, "and apparently, because of promised Germanic 'assistance, hnsbeon slightly more prodigal of . expenditure, of Heavy ammunition. Fie.:. ha ; s r also brought ■ some heavier "guns'to bear on the Anzac zone, including .one battery of 8-inch h'owitaors: Tie recently,., bombarded one of our positions for threes c/uaTters of on hour with 10 guns, including one 8-irich, firing salvoes with common shell, one 6-inch ..battery bsing shrapnel, and two smaller using high velocity guns. Considering the expenditure of ammunition, the casualties wore surprisingly few. „ „ ''Our battleships, cruisers, destroyers and laad .batteries replied whenever targete were discovered. .Considering their dominant situation, the Turks show co enterprise, only attacking occasionally. Deserters wjindervirito- our lines aad surrender, others in , the trenches hold their hands above the parapets with n. vinw to being wounded by our snipers rather than continue in the firing line. This, however, must not be considered an 'indication that

the army as a whol© will not continue its 'stubborn resistance.

Of the New Zoalanders only the artillery and the engineers have taken part in the recent fighting, both the infantry and the mounteds having been eight weeks in tho rest camp on an island beyond the sound of the guns. Having recuperated and refiitted, and been absorbed in tho reinforcements, they- returned to the Peninsula. They were loudly cheered at their departure by the incoming New Zealanders on the troop ships and sailors on the warships. The' infantry have re-entered the trenches, and .the .mounted"'are in reserve in bivouacs. The reinforcements are a fine looking lot, and arc keen to enter tho"campaign. ..

. Colonel Rhodes,' after inspecting the hospitals and postal ; arrangements at Alexandria,, has been fpiv the past 18 dayivisiting the dressing station and the casualty clearing station on the Peninsula.. .He also made an extensive round of the firing trenches, principally along the whole or" the Anzac, Helles, and Suvla fronts, returning to Egypt; to inspect; .the Cairo hospitals, and proceeding thenos to Malta and perhaps to England. ' .

The Mahetio returned here after conveying sick and. waundcd to London. ■''<■-- :-■' ■ ■ --' '