AVALANCHE OF SHELLS ON ACHI BABA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 146, 21 June 1915, Page 5

AVALANCHE OF SHELLS ON ACHI BABA.

TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT FROM LAND AND SEA.

DAZED TURKS OFFER MTTLE RESISTANCE.

IXVE BOWS OF TRENCHES CAPTURED.

(Received 11.10 ajn-X

LOXDOX, June 20. Reuters correspondent at Gallipoli states that details of the lighting on the

' front at Achi Baba, in the south of GaUipoU, above Krithia, show that on June 4 jjor an hour every British and French gun on the peninsula poured shell of various calibres into the Turkish trenches, while the British battleships on the right and tire French on the left battered the flanks. The -whole landscape was obliterated in a curtain of smoke, and the tower of Krithia, which survived the previous bombardment, toppled cner, the village being set on fire. The infantry chare? began at noon, and the first few trenches were easily taken, the enemy being dazed by the avaJanche of shells. They merely fired a few shots upward at the Britishers stabbing down at them in the trenches. A large number of the dead in the trenches were victims of shell fire. We had the enemy fairly on the run for a time until our centre held the fifth trench. The armoured turret motor-cars of the Naval Air Service did useful work, tut the roads were mainly unsuitiblo for this method of warfare, using two fairly good roads fwrc Sedd el flab* a-id Cape Holies to Krithia, which cut the enemy's trenche? at fight angJes, the light cars advanced, crossing our trenches over special liruJgts. Tiii-v ran cir.se to the enemy's lines and opened machine-gun fire. C:he d?ep eutrench-reiitß of the enemy made further progress impossible, while tbi cars !-'-. the same limy offered a good target for the enemy's guns. Shells began to drop arouid, but the motorists backed out of the danger zone after two csrs hid hvis. ft!i-:hitiy damaged. * Our centre riaeSted so far v nvard that the troops were unable to maintain all thf- ground, altnough tilt naval division fought with the utmost gallantry. T'tt lurks' irrcrves made vigorous counter-attacks until Sunday, when reserves earn?, up from beyond Achi Baba. Our men were very hard pressed, and aban-dTi-ed 'T-.-O of the c-oncjjcrod trtnebes, but held the remainder of the ground, »£-aJ*kig xfer Turks v'tu great loss. Tne stemniig oi" 3chi Baba supplies a difficult problem. It presents a series of Bmooth slopes, terraced at intervals, and as difficult to mount aa the glacis of an old-fashioned fort. A Turkish officer taken prisoner said: "Germany is our ally. We know our country's hours are numbered, but we fight for her as you would fight for yours."