THE FIGHTING NEAR SARI BAIR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2553, 30 August 1915, Page 5

THE FIGHTING NEAR SARI BAIR

THE NIGHT MARCH WILL LIVE IN THE HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 'August 28, 3.30 p.m.) London, 'August 28. • Reuter's correspondent in the Dardaaelles states tliat the night inarch of t-lio Australiaus ami Now Zoalanders at Sari Bair will livo in the history of tlio campaign. ; ,< "The ground gained by the.attack on a Lonesomo Pino plateau on the right front was trifling. The object was to prevent the Turks reinforcing olsowliore. The attack involved some of the severest lighting of the campaign. ' i ' "The Australian storming party charged over, sixty yards of open ground. Nono wavered and none tried to get back. Tho' deeds of bravery were - so numerous that' it would: be impossible to recount them, The men climbed the preaches; and searched for spots where-they could pull U£> heavy, squared logs

forming a roof. Holes were made in face of a terrific machine-gun fire. Tho Australians jumped down ten reet into the trenches. The Turks were await-' ing with bayonets, bombs, and rificc. The Turks fought desperately amid piles of dead. One hundred and twenty were captured and six hundiel buried." . / Loncsomo Pine was the merest incident in the main operations in which the Australians and New Zcalanders'gained elbow-room. Many thousands were taken from the crowded Anzac trenchcs and dug-outs, and sent to the hills forming tho northern boundary of the newly-occupied position, an important, advantage of which is that now fresh water is within the position. Tho'Turks on the ninth swarmed down from the ridges in an effort to sweep off the Australians, New Zeaiandcrs, and British from the hillside, but were driven back with frightful losses. ' Wo retain our footing on Rhodpdendron Ridge, despite the fact that tiie Turks are in occupation of the main ridge above. The Turks lost here between July 31 and August 16 ; five thousand of whom 2600 were J'ilied at Lonesome Pine. Tho'dead lie thickly on the slopes, and the Turks, unable to them, throw the corpses from the crests. Tlioy roll down tho slopes, choking tho gullies, while the stench is appalling.' The narrow strips of sai;d at the. bottom of the gullies are piled up with dead. It is a horrifying sighc viewed oven from a mile distant. The Turkish 18-ineh gun is still shelling tho beaches at Anzac, but work proceeds smoothly. Thero was a stirring bayonet attack on August 19 on the left of tho Suvla position 1.-y an Irish division which captured Chocolate Hill and crept round the base of the Turkic position under heavy tiro, and readied the ridge facing the Turkish ridge. The battalion, cheering, charged with the bayonet. Tho Turks came out and there ensued a desperate conflict between the ridges. The Irish bayonets stabbed and flashed-for several minutes and then the Turks fled over tho crest. The Irteh stood on. the top and fired down the hillside at the-fleeing eneany. . ■ * THE MOONLIT SCENE WAS A DEATHLESS PICTURE GRAPHIC ACCOUNT BY A WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDER. ("Times"-and Sydney, "Sun"-Services.) London, 'August 27, 'A wounded New Zealander, who participated in the lauding at Suvla Bay, says:—"No soldier was previously aware of tho momentous movement. We were as much in the.dark as tho Turks. Tho scene was almost uncanny, as if we were in Dead Man's Land. Not a word was spoken as we stepped ashore and fixed bayonets. After landing from' the transports—all kinds of craft—l shook and Shuddered as I looked back on the long line of motionless battleships. and cruisers which guarded our landing. The ghostly majesty of the Navy ,w that moonlit- scene.was a deathless picture. ". "All'night long wo advanced to specified positions. Many hours, during which tho heat was broiling, elapsed before we cauie to grips jvith the enemy. We entrenched on a little hilltop, and the Turks made a succession of foiled spurts to shift us. - "Thif continued for a few days, and then the bands began to play in earnest. Wo encountered swarms of th© enemy, who had been reinforced. They" were only twenty yards away. I never saw so many white-haired old chaps. Wo outed them by the dozen. This Turks used all sorts of missiles, and appeared to have a good supply of bricks and stones. They even rolled huge rocks down the hillside. "The fighting continued for four days, and the-losses on both sides were largs. ,Wo won."- ' TURKISH COMMUNIQUES. (Rec. August 28, 3 p.m.)' Amsterdam, August 28. 'A Turkish communique states: —"The enemy is keeping up a strong lery fire at Anafarta, Ari Burnu, and Sedd-el-Bahr, wasting great quantities of ammunition. Weak forces attempted on Wednesday to break our left wing." (Rec. August 29, 2.30 p.m.), ." \ . ' Berlin, 'August 28. 'A' Turkish wireless message says the British, on August. 27, mad©;'a violent attempt to improve their position: at the Salt Lake, but were foiled, for despite terrific naval gun-fire we mado sevoral well-sustained infantry charges. Tho ground hitherto gained_ is of little value if an attack on the Dardanelles'forts was tho objective, since every advantage of position remained with the Turks. - , THE HELLENIC LEGION AT SUVLA BAY. ' (Rec. August 29, 3.35 p.m.) ' > ■ . 1 Paris, August 28. The "Gaulois" states that-tho Hellenic Legion, including many Cretan and Greek volunteers from Franco co-operated in the Suvla landing. They made a feint at'another landing-place, tlhe Turks were completely tricked, arid rushed troop's to tho spot. There was a lively, combat with the Legion who lost thirty-two. / POPULATION OF STAMBOUL IRRITATED, (Reo. August 29, 4.10 p.m.) . Athens, August 28. The population of Stamboul is irritated at the sight of. thousands of wounded arriving day and night.- .Many - officers and (publio functionaries openly express views against the-Gennans and do not conceal their conviction that the moment when they should bo driven out is approaching. , Tho prioes of provisions are exorbitant- owing to the suspension, of the coastal trade through fear of the Allies' submarines. / ■ t . ' ' . % AUSTRO-GERMAN CONCENTRATION AT ORSOVA. (Rec. August 29, 2.30 p.m.) - 1 . Nlsh, August 28. • Our avaitors' reconnaissance at Orsova show that tho Austro-German ' concentration is not yet adequate for tho reported plan to force a passage towards Bulgaria. 1 .