GREAT NIGHT ATTACK BY THE NEW ZEALANDERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2550, 26 August 1915, Page 5

GREAT NIGHT ATTACK BY THE NEW ZEALANDERS

, MAOM YELLS ON VIVID STORY BY MR. ASHMEAD BARTLETT -Br Telegraph—Press Aenociation-Coprrislit (Rec. August 25;8i60 p.m.) ! ] , r . , ' ' London, August 24. Mr. Ashmead Bartlett (the English war correspondent' at Gallipoli), reports: "The new landing is being successfully carried out in Anafarta 'Bay. The Australian and New Zealand forces at Anzac, reinforced, engaged in a desperate struggle toobtain possession of the mam ridge running north-east from the fAnzac position. No troops liavo' ever been called upon to advance oyer more difficult or more broken country. The land gradually rises in a series of hills and ridges to Kojachlen, and is broken by deep nullahs and dongas, covered with thick scrub, affording excellent cover. for snipers, and suited to the irregular warfare in whioh the Turks are so skilful. "Before the advance could be made towards the main height successive Turkish lines to the north-east of.the. Colonials, had to bo°taken by assault in order,, to allow them to debouch and reach tho further hills, rising like giant steps to Kojachemen, which is a sinister height, split in two portions by a fearful ravine, completely cutting the mountain in halves. Silent Spring, With Cold Steel. Our field-gun®, howitzers, assisted by the destroyers, cruisers, • and monitors, furiously bombarded the Turkish position north-east of Anzao throughout August 7. ."Whole sections of trenches disappeared in clouds of smoke The Australians and New Zealanders were braced for the desperate ni«ht attack by. long waiting for this hour—the end of those monotonous days omitting in trenches—were confident that they would carry the enemy's works on their immediate front. "Strict, orders .were issued that not a shot was to be fired, the attack relying on the bayonet alone. Exactly at ten o'clock on tho night of August 7 the britrade of New Zealanders clambered out of the trenches and furiously charged the Turkish lino with loud cheers, bayoneting them all. Tbo Turks apparently, were taken unawares, and fired wildly, but were unable to check this advance, and in a few minutes all'the enemy's positions nearest tho sea were in our hands. The way was thus cleared for the main advance. 1 The Maori War Cry. "Tho New Zealanders .only stopped to tako breath, and then pursued their victorious career. ■ They rushed successively the old Number Three outpostBauchop's'Hili;\and other Turkish'positions. The Maoris entered into the charge with great dash, making the darkness hideous with their wild war cries and striking terror into, the Turks with tho awful vigour of their bayonet thrusts and rifle-butt blows. The Maoris forced another link in tho chain of Empire. Tho darkness of the night, the broken nature of the ground and the skill with which tho enemy smothered eveVv available bit of dead "-round with their deadly snipers, delayed the main advance. After these preliminary positions had. been successfully rushed, every hill and spur had to be picke'teil to keep down the fire of the marksmen remaining in the rear of our advancing columns. ' _ "The fighting was continuous throughout the night. In the gloomy favines where the Turks-were-resisting courageously and despairingly, many bloody encounters. the details of which will never be known, filled the dark hours' preceding the more eveiitful dawn. "Throughout August 8 tho struggle was continued without intermission the New Zealanders gaining ground, but finally being held up by the machineguns and rifle fire of the enemy. "Our men began to advance at dawn on August 9 up the steep slopes. The Turks gallantly.charged from both ends, and many Turks fell. The survivors closed with the intrepid colonials, with * bayonets and-rifle butts. This \raa iust tho form of fighting the colonials liked, and their magnificent physique was a valuable asset.. 'Although numerically few, they closed with tho Turks, furiously using their rifles as clubs, swinging them round their heads and laying out several Turks with each sweep. Tho Turks could not stand this rough treatment, and those who were not killed or wounded fled, while tho New Zealanders began hastily to dig themselves in. "Finest Feat of the Fighting," ■ "So far, this is the finest feat of the fighting, and. the highest point any of the troops have yet gained on the Peninsula. The Turks fought with the utmost bravery, but their efforts were vain, and soon not a single Turk remained. Our artillery, assisted by the cruisers and monitors, checked tho counter-at-tacks, inflicting losses. - "Upon the left of the New Zealand advance, the Australians, assisted by tho Indian units, fought splendidly, with considerable success. Tho New Zealand advance captured a_ Nordenfeldt. two machine-guns, many trench mortars, and six hundred prisoners—threo hundred belonging to a single battalion; ■ "The advance troops who landed at Anafarta were entirely successful to the evening of August 8. Tho division pushed, along tho high ground on tho left, known as Karakoldagh, overlooking the Gulf of Saros, while another division swept round tho north end of the Salt Lake, wheeling southward, and forming a continuous lino in front of tho Anafarta Height. By a brilliant attack, Yilghin Burnu, eastward of the lake, was occupied, giving a commanding position, on which our right wing could resfc-.during the night of August 8. Our left wing rested that night on the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Saros. Omcentre rested on the low ground in front of Anafarta. We thus had sccurcti a wido front npon tho shore on the further sido of tho Salt Lake, but' the enemy's position on the Anafarta ridge had not been touched, our troops, except on the extremo left, lying in a wide open cup covered by three hedges of farms. It was impossible to see ahead, and the Turkish snipers were taking advantage of the excellent cover. Guerilla Warfare, "The Turkish artillery sought our reserve, and shelled the roads round tho lake. The Turks held the trendies weakly, preferring to send the majority forward as 'tirailleurs' (irregulars), into tho broken ground. Knowing every'inch, and carrying only rifles and a plentiful supply of cartridges. Sniping at , all angles, theso passed northward of tho lake, giving tho impression, by their rapid movomcnts, that tho enemy waß in greater "strength. "At midday on August 9, the scrub caught fire .it several places, cither by accident or bv Turkish design, or. through tlm bursting s of tlio shells, and spread with amazing rapidity. _ This forced our infantry to abandon their advanced positions. It was a weird sight to seo the Turkish -snipers and the British infantry crawling out of tho scrub and hedges, aud turning their backs j-ii nun another, running from the flames, A neutral wins was thus formed,

and renamed Burnt Hill. This stopped the advance, though the fighting and sniping did not cease. At nightlall the Haines continued to light up tho darkness, backed with clouds of .white smoke, while the incessant rattle of the machine-guns and tho 60und of the artillery booming to the southward, were continued. Shells were seen bursting on the tops of tho bills where the- Anzac Corps was gradually lighting from ridge to ridge ..with a view to joining with tho Anafarta. troops. J "A.prisoner reported that on August 10 the Turks were reinforced by the whole of their Zemeu division, and the trendies at Denselier manned. More tirailleurs, probably from some odd battalions, arrived during the night, and desultory lighting continued, recalling the Boer War. Throughout August 10,.from tho top of Yilghin Burini, now known as Chocolatc Hill, wo could watch both sides. It was tantalising to observe tho Turks creeping up by twos and threes. Fresh fires caused both sides to change their positions. "Tho Tenth Division was meamvhilo.engaged in a. desperate struggle, and pushed forward to the heights of Karakddagh. By the evening of August 10 a strong trench line had been dug across the flat country, connecting all our positions. Our right is in touch with Anzac." An Australian Attack. In order to divert attention from the movement against Aanafarta, an offensive from Anzac was commenced on the afternoon of August 6. The Australians, a British Division, and the Indian units co-operated, and after an hour's intense bombardment from sea and land, the Australians, assisted by another brigade, attacked the Lonesome Pine plateau, rising four hundred feet south-east of Anzac. Tho first colonial rush was checked by shrapnel. The second and third lines, not wavering a second, charged furiously, capturing four trench lines, which were held despite a furious bombardment, smashing parapets, which -were constantly , rebuilt. The same evening they made a sortie from Walker's Ridge, northward of Anzac, resulting in tlie capture of a portion of the plateau.. . , "While this fighting was progressing a- brigade of Australians marched silently towards the north, followed by tho Indians, along the lower spurs of the high hills which were held by the Turks. Two battalion's protected the flank of the Australians, whose rifles were liot loaded, the men' being instructed to fight until dawn with the bayonet only. The Australians marched two miles and met their first opposition in unexplored ridges covered by thick bramble, tho Turks holding every ridgo. "There was nothing for it but to rush each ridge in succession, and the bayonet decided the matter. At daybreak they were ordered to deploy on the ridges flanking Asma Dcre, where they succeeded in digging themselves in under artillery and rifle fire. During this running ■' fight an emplacement for heavy (Ziuis was discovered. Tho gun had been removed, but a large store of ammunition was captured. "The New Ziealauders, who came in on tho right, captured two machineguns. Tho whole of August ? was spent in consolidating, the troops who had advanced across the low plain from Kilghin Burnu and linked up with the Australians on August 11 establishing a _ complete line from Anzac to Anafarta. The manner in which the colonials, Indians, and English fought is beyond all praise, and they earned the unstinted admiration of their commanders." SIR lAN HAMILTON'S TRIBUTE TO THE COLONIALS MOUNTED RIFLES AND MAORIS CONSPICUOUS. The following cable message from the Secretary of State for the Colonies was received by His Excellency the Governor this morning:—"I am sending you the following extract from one of Sir lari Hamilton's dispatches regarding tho recent fighting at Gallipoli, which I think will prove of interest to you, and which you will probably like to publish :— " 'I cannot praise too highly tho Australian. Imperial troops, and tho New Zealanders. Their magnificent night march over country, a march so nearly impracticable that the Turks had evidentlv not believed that such a feat would be attempted, and their dash and vigour in an attack at the end of . that march reflect the greatest credit on all concerned. Tho Mounted Rifles and the Maori Contingent were conspicuous by their gallantry." VIOLENT FIGHTING IN GALLIPOLI THOUSANDS OF WOUNDED ARRIVE IN CONSTANTINOPLE. (Rec. August 25, 9.15 p.m.) Sofia, August 25. •Reports from Constantinople state that violent fighting has been proceeding in Gallipoli for the past week. Thousands of wounded are arriving every v day, and thousands of fresh troops aro being sent daily to tho Dardanelles.. • A personage-at the German Embassy declared: "If things continue iii this way, the Allies will soon be in Constantinople."- t