FEROCIOUS FIGHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 211, 4 September 1915, Page 5

FEROCIOUS FIGHTING.

STRUGGLE FOR SARI BAIR. A MODEBS IWKERMAN. FOUR DAYS' SLAUGHTER. 09 GAXXJFOLFS BLOOD. STAIHED •JTTT.T.S MAGNXFICENT VAXOTTR OF THE AUSTRALASIANS. LONDON, September 3. Mr. Askmead Bartlett. the official correspondent with the British forces on Gallipoli. in his dispatch dated Aug. I!), after describing in detail the battle for Sari .Bair fought on August 6 to 10. when the New Zealanders actually reached the summit of the ridge, but were obliged to relinquish it owing to the failure of other forces to advance at Anafarta, says that when the advance was ended the Turks massed their forces and counter-attacked desperately for three days and nighfs. They frequently retook sections of trenches only again to be driven out. This extraordinary struggle took place almost j entirely underground. Both sides showed ! an utter disregard for life. Wounded and j dead choked the trenches almost to the top. The survivors carried on the fight over heaps of corpses. Despite the most determined courage of the Turks, who were reinforced, the Australians held their ground. Finally the Turks wearied of the struggle. The trenches are now merely battered shambles. The removal of the dead and wounded occupied several days. The bodies of 1,000 Turks and colonials were removed from the trenches, and hundreds more from outside. The Turkish losses in this section alone are estimated at 5,000, chiefly incurred in counter-attacks. Although the capture of the Lone Pine was the most desperate hand-to-hand fight yet fought on the peninsula, it was merely a diversion and a preliminary in a movement northwards, which commenced the same evening under the cover of darkness. There has been no finer feat in the whole war than the manner in which the troops destined for the main movement against Sari Bair deployed for the attack. A direct attack was not attempted, as it would have entailed immense losses, and probably failure, because the Turks posted on the hills surrounding Anzac held the inner position in a vice. Therefore, the only attacks were on the Lone Pine, and sorties from Quinn"s Post, RusselFs Top, and Pope's Post. North-eastward of Anzac the order was given to hold the enemy in his trenches. COVERED BY THE NIGHT. The Australians' most advanced outpost was beyond "Fisherman's Hut.' , The intervening gap of flat ground was connected by a wide sap. It being impossible to cross the ground in daylight, millions of rounds of ammunition and thousands of shells were carried to the advanced post 3 along the sap in daytime, or along the beicfa at jiight time. This operation, together wtth the arrival of strong Australian reinforcements, was kept a profound secret.

Before the Australians could deploy over the wide front of spars and ravines giving access to Sari Bair it was necessary to take a number of outlying posts. This involved a preliminary move due north over broken ground in total darkness, and then a wheel due east for the purpose of assaulting the main ridge. As on the previous nights, the Allies' warships played their searchlights and bombarded the Turkish positions. The Turks did not suspect that an infantry attack was plannsd. When the searchlights were playing on another position the Australians dashed forward, capturing a succession of outposts. At daybreak the whole force was slowly moving towards the main Sari Bair position in face of great difficulties, harassed by snipers, and checked by the difficulties of thi ground and scarcity of water. HARASSED BT SSIPEBS. At dawn on August 1 the left of our line had reached the Asmadere position. The Indians had advanced a long way towards Chunufc Bair, and had reached a farm, while the Xew Zealanden had reached Rhododendron Spur and Ridge. It was decided to pqstpone a further advance until Turkish snipers everywhere harassed our lines throughout the day. The advance was resumed at four o'clock on the morning of August 8. The Australians' left advance* from Asmadere to Abdelrahma Bair. whence it was hoped that they- couH wheel- to- the right and attack Kojachemen. Little or no progress was possible on the occasion of this attack. Tie Turks were in great strength, and at one time threatened to surround our force, which had withdrawn to its original position at Asmadere. where it held out throughout the day against determined, attacks. Throughout the day and night the New Zealanders, althoueh thoroughly exhausted, maintained their hold on Chunufc Bair. Two other regiments relieved them during the night. "It .was planned that three columns of >ew Zealandera and Indians, and another brigade, should finally assault Cnunuk Bair at daybreak on August 9. This attack was preceded by a naval and land bombardment. The advance of the third column was delayed by the brokea ground and the .enemy's' resistance Meanwhile, the Gurkhas gallantly swarmed the slopes and reached the crest, obtaining a vision of the other side. Unfortunately they were unable to retain the poeition in face of violent counter-attacks and sheU-Sre Jlean while, a great Turki&b. force counterattacked, and compelled the other brigade upon the left to withdraw to the lower slopes.

DESPERATE ATTACK. '"The Turks, who were strongly reinforced, desperately attacked at dawn OS August 10 from'Chunuk Bair. HUT Q, hurling themselves, regardless of the loss of life, against the two regiments. whiGi desperately resisted, but were driven by artillery fire and sheer weight of anaher3 further down the slope. The Turks, following up this success, efaMgea right over the crest towards the golly southward of Rhododendron Ridge, ™ ta a view to penetrating **«« ?" hne and the Anzac potion- But they reckoned witho^oarartHle^and^^ Z^S? Rhododendron on tßeir left. Wb exhaustion,; ««rdtT of water, and the large number j nt wounded compelled the cessation of, SL ,«»<* "The warships and land Batteries j pleinTy observed a great charge beguu. .„ four successive lines of Turkish in, j antry in close formation. The eliargins ' Turks were caught in a trap. The mt>T j mtatam of their rusli dovmhill pr«. I

vented them from recoiling in time, and they were swept away by hundreds in a terrific storm of high explosive, shrapnel and common shells. The ships' giins, howitzers and field pieces, never since the commencement of the campaign. !>ad had such a target. It delizhted" the heart* of our gunners. Huge shells from the warships threw huge chunks of soil skyward, miauled w-tli human bodies, which fell in the deep ravines. TTJKXS WIPED OUT. "Even this concentration of artillery might not have checked thp euemv. bui ten machine £un 3 rattled aavay at'sbort range trata the jtms smoked' with the heat generated. Hardly a Turk reached the lullm again. Their lines became mixed up. Taose seeking to retire clashed with othera pressing forward. Some fled back over the crest towards the safety of their trenches; others dashed downwards into the ravines, where shrapnel searched them oat. An entire division was broken up within a few minutes. The Tnrk3 thus paid a terrible price for the success of regaining the crest. "Portions of oar line at Rhododendron Ridge were compelled to give ground, the Turks fighting desperately, realising the precariousness of their position. The magnificent conduct of our officers saved th-e day. Generals and colonels fought with bayonets alongside privates. Nobody knew how his comrade wa3 fairing amongst the scrub. Many commanding offieera were killed. Gradually our losG ground was regained. "By nightfall on August 10 the intensity of the fighting had died down on account of the sheer exhaustion of both armies and the impossibility of further physical effort. Thus ended the most ferocious, sustained soldiers' battle since Inkerman. That battle lasted a few hours. Englishmen. New Zealanders, Maoris. Australians, Gurkhas, and Sikhs were engaged in this terrible combat on the bloodstained hills of Gallipoli for four days and nights at a heizht of 900 ft. 'whither supplies had to be carried by paths which did not exist except on the map. BOOM TO MO7X. The operations have resulted m an extension of the Anzac position. Nα longer is there a stifled feeling among the troops, hitherto crowded in. a restricted area. Our line now runs northward until it links up with the corps before Anafarta. We hold the foothills, and are established beneath the crest of Chunuk Bair. "We are ako eecurely dug in on the summit of Rhododendron. Ridge. The troops are awaiting- events with, the complacency characteristic of the colonial and Britisher. They are not downhearted and are willing to make*another try. The incompleteness of the success was not the fault of those troops advancing from Anzac. Little less of the dead weight of the Turkish numbers would have enabled the Anzaca to consolidate the short, desperate grip they had on Chunuk Bair. "Between, the opposing lines is a scene of desolation. Masses of Turks lie where they felL Many of the dead were thrown out of the trenches to make room for the living. At this point New Zealander, Australian. Maori and Gurkha are lying side by side, marking the highest point the Imperial forces have yet reached forces have, vet attained on t&e-.'penm-sula."