THE BATTLE OF GULLY RAVINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 163, 10 July 1915, Page 5

THE BATTLE OF GULLY RAVINE.

TURKS BOMBARDED BY BIG GUNS, t,

TRENCHES BUSHED BY BRITISH TROOPS. GREATEST SUCCESS YET ACHIEVED SINCE THE ZANBING. LONDON, July 9. Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, in his latest dispatch from the GallipoU Peninsula, describes the fighting on June 28, -which has been called the battle of Gully Ravine. "It -was engagement yet fought on the peninsula,' , he states. "We jmade good a triangular wedge on our left wing, of which each side is a mile in.-length. Our losses were comparatively small. "The success, -was mainly due to the tactics adopted and the enormous improvement ia-thessupport which our artillery afforded. Instead of a general advance, Sir lan. Hkmiltonv selected a section of the Turkish, line on which every available gun. was concentrated. The Turkish works chosen for the assault were battered to pieces by high explosive shells, and within twenty minutes shrapnel had cut the wire entanglements to pieces. MUNITIONS THE SECBET OF SUCCESS. "The success Jiasiad a most inspiring effect on the whole-army. It opena out the brightest prospects if the gunners are kept supplied with" unlimited ammunition. The French lent some trench mortars, which are deadly-weapons, dropping bombs containing from 301b to 701b of melinite vertically into the enemy's trenches at short range with terrible effect. "The brunt of the fighting was borne by the 29th Division,, whose deeds on Gallipoli assure them of a place in history equal to that held by' Wellington's Peninsula veterans. Some battalions had lost every officer who- lauded with them on April 25, but they had been brought up to strength bjr drafts from depots and were led by many young officers. Nevertheless, the division attacked with unsurpassed dash and vigour. The 156 th Lowland Brigade also came out of the first battle with flying colours. IRRESISTIBLE BUSH FOB TURKISH TRENCHES. "The Ist Borderers at 10.45 a.m. captured the Boomerang Fort almost without opposition. The Turkish survivors were found dazed- bythe- bombardment Our artillery then lengthened the range to prevent the Turks mshing up reinforcements. Simultaneously the Scottish Borderers, the Innisldllmg Fusiliers, and the South Wales Borderers, of the 87th Brigade, lushed the first two Turkish lines of trenches between the Gully Ravine and the sea. The Turks made an effort to check their advance, but the men of the 87tU ewept irresistibly forward. "Meanwhile, on the right of the Gully Ravine, the 4th and 7th Royal Scots made spirited attacks, and captured two lines of Turkish trenches, though two other battalions of the Lowland division met with heavy opposition and suffered severe losses, failing to make good their objective. At halfpast eleven the SGth. Brigade, led by the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, passed through the trendies captured by the 87th Brigade, and swept forward upon two more lines of trenches. It was a magnificent spectacle, the men never wavering or losing their formation, though under heavy artillery and rifle fire. NIGHT ATTACKS BY THE TURKS. "Meanwhile the Indian Brigade on the extreme left moved along the clifi"3 and reached Green Knoll, which was our extreme objective. Several companies of Lancashire Fusiliers advanced to the nullah, which runs into the Gully Ravine from the north, and dug themselves in. thus connecting up the advanced positions with the 86th Brigade. This closed the morning's work. All the positions on the extreme- right were captured within an hour and a-half. "The Turks showed no disposition to counter-attack, and their artillery was extremely sparing of ammunition. The British artillery throughout the afternoon put a screen of fire behind the Turkish firing-line to prevent reserves coming up. We made a further attempt at 5.30 p.m. to capture the Turkish trenches on the right facing Krithia village, but were unsuccessful. "The great difficulty on the Gallipoli Peninsula is to hold captured positions against night attacks. The ground is so broken and provides so much natural cover that the Turks, who know every detail of its configuration, arc able to creep up. The Turks reverted to these tactics during the night of June "28, but without success. "There was no fighting on June 2!). the enemy being exhausted. Our men were enabled to make good their positions and to run connecting saps to our positions on the right, thus forming a diagonal line facing t?-e enemy. ''The Turks, on the night of June 30, attacked Green Knoll and the coast positions, hut their columns were dispersed by the fire of destroyers. Two battalions of Turks further to the right also attacked without success. Some, who skilfully used cover, reached to within 30yds of our trenches, but were there annihilated." Mr. Bartlett is of opinion that the enemy's powers of resistance have been appreciably weakened recently. The Turks are losing faith in the German star, and the infantry is dissatisfied with the artillery support. They are afraid to move in the daytime.

AMPLE ACCOMMODATION FOR THE WOUNDED

SIR F. TREVES' REPORT ON MEDITERRANEAN HOSPITALS. SPLENDID WORK OF THE MEDICAL CORPS. I LONDON, July 0. Sir Frederick Treves, Sergeant-Surgeon to the King, has-issued a report on his visits to the hospitals at Malta, Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, ami Mudros. He says without hesitation that the arrangements are adequate. Many beds were unoccupied. There are plenty of doctors and nurses and a number of operating surgeons of the highest class from England and Australia. He adds that he. had an opportunity of seeing in the freest possible manner all the arrangements made in the Mediterranean area for the reception of the sick and wounded from the Dardanelles. "The Royal Army Medical Corps," lie states, "has maintained the high reputation earned in this war, while of the vast colonial medical corps 1 can use no stronger terms of praise "than by saying that the Australian 'army doctor has done as well as his comrade in the fighting-line. "The casualties were very great —much heavier, I imagine, than was ever anticipated. Owing to the sudden arrival of large convoys of wounded there have been periods of severe pressure and urgent stress, just as in the early days of the campaign, in France. These dire emergencies were met heroically and with no little success, especially when it is remembered that the distances were great and communications not too easy. The difficulties in connection ■with transports were often insurmountable."

HEROES OF THE DARDANELLES.

LATEST LIST OF DOMINION CASUALTIES. TWO AUCKLANDERS KILLED, TWO MISSING, ONE WOUNDEtf. The 108 th list of casualties was issued by the Defen'/e Department today. It includes the names of two Aucklanders who have made the major sacrifice, two who are missing, and one wounded. Following is the list:-— KILLED IN ACTION. 1-2/1528— ALEXANDER YEATS (Auckland Battalion), on April 23—Geo. Dufty, Huntly. MISSING. 12/75— GEORGE CRUTCHER . (Auckland Battalion), April 25— G. Crutcher. 35, Boston Road, Auckland (father). j-yntjo— BARRY FFTJTTOT (Auckland Battalion), .April 25— R. Pfundt, "Rollodcne," Birdhirst Road, S. Croydon, Surrey, England, WOUNDED. 12/800-VICTOR HERBERT WATSON Battalion)-James Watson. Hamilton. 2/235-GEORGE I.OGAN ROBERTSOJt p-ielcT SrtiUery), June IS. DIED OF WOUNDS, 6/I*O3—AIEXASDEB BENNETT (Otagw Battalion)— George Beatett, ! gen., Helensyfll?, Kaijara, Auckland .(fatherJu .-• -• f