THE EVACUATION

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15487, 14 January 1916, Page 7

THE EVACUATION

A BRILLIANT FEAT. HAMPERED BY HEAYY WEATHEB. SIR CHARLES MONRO'S REPORT. LONDON, January 12. Lieyt-.-Gencral Sir C. C. Monro, in his report on ' the evacuation of the southern end of Gallipoli Peninsula, describes the unsuccessrul • attack by the Turks on January 7th (of which an account was published yesterday). The evacuation operations were quietly and successfully resumed at _ night. The sea was calm until the afternoon of December Bth, when the weather suddenly became worse, and the win 3 increased to

thirty-five miles an hour at midnight, when it was only just possible to use the piers and lighters. It was impossible to carry out the programme of embarking the troops in destroyers alongside the sunken ships at W beach, owing to the connecting piers having been washed away. Embarkation at Gully beach was also impossible. One lighter went ashore. Nevertheless, the programme at W and Y beaches was' completed by 2.30 a.m., and the troops at Gully beach embarked by 4 a.m.

The Turkish artillery was practically silent the -whole night until our stores ■were fired simultaneously by timefuses after the evacuation was completed. The Turks then fired red lights all along the line, and heavily shelled the beachcs and trenches until after daybreak. The French Fleet carried out the French embarkation. RELIEF OF THE TEOOPS. ALL POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION. ("Times" and "Sydney Sun" Servioea.) (Received January 13th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 12. In the House of Commons Mr H. J. Tennant, replying to Mr Watt, said the gallant troops withdrawn from Gallipoli Peninsula deserved, and would receive, all possible consideration and relief. TUBKISH CELEBRATIONS. A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. • (By Cibla.—Pres« Association.—Copyright.) AMSTERDAM, January 12. January 9th was declared, a national holiday in Constantinople. A medal commemorating the occasion has been struck, and a monument is being erected at the Dardanelles in memory of the fallen. All the Turkish warships fired a salute. THE NEWS IN RUSSIA. AN UNPLEASANT IMPRESSION. EXPERT OPINION CONFIDENT. ("Times" and "Sydney Sun" Services.) (Received January 13th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 12. The Petrograd correspondent of "The Times" says the news of the evacuation of Gallipoli Peninsula has caused an unpleasant impression amongst the general public, but was received calmly in iiaval and military circles. The latter had long regarded evacuation as inevitable, because of the developments in the Balkans, where defeat of the TurkoBulgarian armies will automatically determine the possession of the Dardanelles. . The Russian Press pays a tribute to the magnificent heroism of the Allies, especially the Australians and New Zealanders. GALLIPOLI DIFFICULTIES. LORD KITCHENER'S VIEWS. LONDON, January 12. Mr Somers_ Cocks, who presided over Sir. Geo. Reid's meeting at Caxton Hall, said that Sir . Geo. Reid would be welcomed as. a. representative of the wonderful Australians and New Zealanders who wrought deeds as marvellous as any. ever recorded in the military histoiy' of - any country in the world/ .Lord Kitchener, after his visit to Gallipoli, had told Mr Walter Long that although he had had access to official reports, confidential letters, and photographs, he did not realise until he- visited the sQot -what, the difficulties really were; . . N Sir. Geo. Reid declared that his platform consisted of three planks—first, the war," secondly "the whole war," and thirdly, "nothing but the war." He added that Lord Kitchener had told him that no could not have believed that conditions such as existed on Gallipoli—so terribly difficult, .so overwhelming in their nature—could ever have been surmounted. THE SUVLA BAY FAILURE. SIR lAN HAMILTON'S CHARGES. • ("Times" and • "Sydney/ Sun---Services.) LONDON, January 12. • Lieut.-General the Hon. .Sir Frederick Stopford.- who was in charge' of the Suvla Bay operations, has . asked the War Office for leave to sue Sir lan Hamilton for defamation of character.