"FRESH LUSTRE" ANZAC-SUVLA BAY BAITLE

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 92, 16 October 1915, Page 9

"FRESH LUSTRE" ANZAC-SUVLA BAY BAITLE

For five days and nights the battle has raged on Gallipoli. The cannon have roared incessantly; big guns, little guns, field guns, mortars, snips' guns, and howitzers belching forth their iron hail till the earth trembled again. .Hardly heard amid the thunderous roar of artillery, has been the interminable rattle of musketry, and the spiteiul snapping of maxima, From the firing line to the base hardly a square foot of ground seemed safe from shrapnel shells and high explosives. ' Probably 20u,000 men are engaged, hacking at each other day and night, for this seems the decisive battle of the Gallipoli campaign. It makes one's blood beat faster and tingle with pride to see the magnificent way our young Australians have played the great game of war (writes " Trooper Bluegum" to Sydney Morning Herald). Hemmed in and cooped up in the trenches for weary weeks, they have at last been let loose upon the enemy. Like hounds from the leash they charged across the bullet-swept area between the contending armies. The Turkish lines spat fire from every loophole, and macniue guns seemed to revel in murderous music. On swept the line, thinned but dauntless. Heroes fell on every side. Enfilading volleys swept across from the side. To us on the right the men seemed to falter for a space; but it was only to hack their way tnrougn tne iUu.z.3 of barbed wire.' Then they scrambled over the sandbags, their last obstacle, and bayoneted the Turks by scores. One wild melee on the parapet, thrust, lunge, and parry, then the trenches were ours. While behind cover the Turk is a great fighter. But once face to face, bayonet to bayonet, he is not a patch on the Australian. It was simply butchery in the captured trenches till the Turks threw down their arms. THE FIRST BRIGADE. This charge was only one little episode in the long, long struggle of those early days of August. The honour of the exploit goes to the Ist Infantry Brigade, though some of our 7th Light Horse were sent along to help hold tne line against the counter-attacks of the enemy. Each time the Turks massed for a charge Colonel Rosenthal's guns tore great rents in their ranks, and wrought havoc in their trenches. But again and again their bomb-throwers — hidden behind the communication trenches — massed and endeavoured to retake the position. On the left the Australian and NewZealand division, with whom were our Ist Light Horse Brigade, made a splen- j did advance over shrapnel-swept ravines, ' defended by trenches and machine guns cunningly hidden in the scrub. They charged the heights like the Highlanders at Darghai, but against a far more formidable foe. They suffered terribly, especially the Light Horsemen., but there was no stopping them. The stretcher-bearers were real trueblue. Under the heaviest fire they went right up to the firing line, tended the wounded, and carried them back to the field hospitals. Oh, you, who think the Army Medical Corps is always comfortably and safely situated at "the base — pray be undeceived. Their part is just as hazardous as that of the soldier of the line. HEAVY CAPTURES. Hundreds of prisoners were captured, J

much ammunition, and many rifles, and a few machine guns. And the prisoners stated that the Australians' attack was a complete surprise. But a far greater surprise awaited them. At night in the offing there was only seen one hospital ship, though now and then a destroyer sent its searchlight on to the hills. But when the first streaks of dawn-light fell on the JSgean Sea the amazed Turks beheld a vast flotilla,' and in futile anger the German staff officers ( witnessed another landing in Gallipoli. Almost unmolested, a new British force landed at Suvla Bay, for the Turks had hurried all their reinforcements back to stem, the onrush of the Australasians. Several warships and a score of destroyI ers glided into the bay or round the 1 projecting horns, and sent a veritable tornado of shells on to the enemy's position. A dozen big transports came up and emptied their khaki freight into a hundred barges, pinnaces, launches, and sweepers. The new force landed, formed up, and marched inland against the | Turkish right. At first the resistance ' was feeble, and the enemy was driven back beyond the ealt lake towards the hills. More troops were hurried up from Gallipoli, and the fight waxed more strenuous. It is still in progress, but > there is not the slightest doubt of the final result. The action is general now along the centre and left. There is a lull on the right — else these lines had not been written. We face each other fifty., yards apart. We hope they will make some counter-attack here, where the rest of our 2nd Light Horse Brigade are holding the line. The last couple of nights we have been playfully pulling the Turk's leg. After silence for an hour we would suddenly send up a few rockets, sound the bugle call to charge, and cheer lustily. Immediately the Turks, fearing a charge, would man the parapets and blaze away like fury. They have wasted thousands and thousands of rounds of ammunition thus, and we hear their supply is running short. Our casualties during the past few days were few. What there were of them were chiefly due to the enemy's artillery fire, which has torn down our parapets and wrecked our trenches, and created havoc all along the line. THE GENERAL'S MESSAGE. Just before the battle we got a message from Sir lan Hamilton. It was in a special order issued from 4 the general headquarters of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and was as follows : — "sth August, 1915. "Soldiers of the Old Army and the New, — Some of you have already won imperishable renown at our first landing, or have since built up our foothold upon the Peninsula, yard by yard, with deeds of heroism and endurance. Others have arrived just in time to take part in our next great fight against Germany and Turkey, the would-be oppressors of the rest of the human race. "You, veterans, are about to add fresh lustre' to your arms. Happen what may, so much at least is certain. "As to you, soldiers of the new formations, you are privileged indeed to have the chance vouchsafed you of playing a decisive part in events which may 'herald the birth of a new and happier world. You stand for the great cause of freedom. In the hour of trial, remember this and the faith that is in you will bring you victoriously through. "IANt.HAMILTON, General.^