HOT FIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 148, 24 June 1915, Page 3

HOT FIGHTING

AGAINST THE TURKS AUSTRALASIANS SEVERE TASK A FIERCE BOMBARDMENT ENEMY ON THE DEFENSIVE. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, 23rd June Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, the war correspondent, reports that General yon Sanders, in attempting to carry out his threat to drive the Britishers into the sea, received another hiding on the 15th May from the Australians and New Zealanders, resulting in Turkish losses of at least seven to eight thousand, compared with 500 colonials killed and wounded. "The ground occupied by the Australians and Kew Zealanders consists' of two semi-circles of hills, the outer semi-cirle higher than the inner, rising 600 feet in some places. A great valley, which has been called 'Shrapnel Valley,' runs north-east up the centre of the position, dividing it intjo two sectors, both on broken ground, consisting of lesser hills and deep gullies covered with thick shrubs or earth-coloured sandstone. "The position facing north if? called, 'Walker's Ridge,' following the perimeter of the defence around until it again strikes the coast. To the south you are introduced to 'Pope's Hill,' 'Dead Man's Ridge, 1 'Bloody Angle,' 'Quinn's Post,' 'Courtnay Spot,' 'M'Laurin's Hill,' 'Johnstone's Gully,' 'ScotJb's Point,' and 'Bolton's Hill.' At Point Rosenthal, with tbe perimeter, are positions including Plugge's Plateau and Monash Gully. "The Turks _ are entrenched almost around the position, except where the ships' guns keep them off the coast. Generally, their trenches north." and north-east are higher than those of the colonials, and those south and southeast are lower. The average distance between the trenches is 200 yards', sometimes a quarter of a mile, and sometimes twenty yards. The Turks are strongly entrenched between Walker's Ridge and Pope's Hill, and can snipe all going up the valley." SHRAPNEL AND SNIPERS. Mr. Bartlett continues: — "The Australian and New Zealand position resembles a prosperous' mining camp. There are good roads from the foreshore, banked where they are exposed to shrapnel and snipers. Every section of the position is self-contained, and there are unlimited supplies of ammunition. Wherever General yon Sanders attempts an attack on the British he is obliged to leave a high proportion of his foroes facing the colonials. Otherwise they would cut his communications. " Accordingly, on the 18th May, General yon Sanders determined on a final effort at paba Tepe, and brought up five fresh regitnente. He personally directed the operations. When 12-inchers, 9inchers, arifl howitzers were added to the bombardment by field guns, it was evident tnat an attack was coming. The enemy's machine guns opened fire from a Turkish position at the head of Monash Gully and a hill 700 ft high. " The fire was chiefly directed at Quinn's Post. Under cover of* the machine guns, the Turkish snipers from Monash Gully crept forward until they' would think their line was established. They offered a splendid target when they assaulted at 3 o'clock, and were repulsed within an hdur. "A series of attacks, was then delivered at Quinn's Post and Courtenay's Post, but they faded under our rifle-fire, delivered at close range. The Turks left piles of dead hi front of the trenches. TRENCHES BOMBARDED. "The TuTke at dawn on th© 19th opened a fierce bombardment of our trenches. Between 6 and 9 o'clock they delivered a series of desperate attacks at Quints Post and Courtenay'6 Post, but not a Turk set foot in th© colonial trenches, although there were hundreds of dead within a few yards. The Turks by 10 o'clock began to retire under the deadly fire of our field guns and howitzers, and they contented themselves with j sniping, for the rest of the day. ! At least thirty thousand passed against the colonial position, and probably one-third was wiped out. They attacked bravely enough, but there were signs that they were acting under compulsion, and had no confidence of success. They made four or five efforts in some places, and all failed dismally. " The ground, viewed through trench periscopes, presented an extraordinary spectacle. Turkish dead were lying in groups of twenty and thirty as if for mutual protection. Some were hung up by our barbed wire. Others were bayoneted at the parapets. Hundreds of the wounded must have perished between the lines. The Australians and New Zealanders were delighted. There was a feeling that they had many scores to wipe out, and their revenge exceeded their utmost expectations. " There are now signs that the Turks intend to remain strictly on the defen-* sive. They are weary of being driven to slaughter by their German masters."