STORY OF THE LANDIN

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 97, 25 April 1916, Page 7

STORY OF THE LANDIN

HOW IT WAS ACHIEVES

COLONIALS' UNBEATEN VALOUR.

To-day is known as "Anzac Day,'5 representing, as it does the first anniversary of the landing by Australian and New Zealand troops on Gallipoli Peninsula with the object of securing a passage for the Fleet through the Dardanelles. Although the story of that memorable feat is still familiar to most of us, it is as well that the main features of it should be retold, because in the midst of so many important happenings they are apt to become dimmed. THE FORCES EMPLOYED. The military operations at the Dardanelles were decided on after the Fleet had failed to force the Straits in the final assault on 18th March, 1915. For this purpose it was decided "to employ the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (the first letters of which give the name of Anzac), the 29th Division, and a, French Force. The plan was to land the Australians and New Zealanders slightly to the north of Kaba. Tepe, the British Division on five beaches at the toe of the Peninsula, and . the French -Force at Kum Kale, on>the Asiatic side, afterwards using t it on the Peninsula. The undertaking,'of course, was a huge one, requiring immense . preparations, and was duly carried out. The story of the Anzac landing is best told by Sir lan Hamilton, the Commander-in-Chief, in his own words:— SIE IAN HAMILTON'S DESPATCH. "The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps sailed out of Mudros Bay on the afternoon of 24th April, escorted by the 2nd Squadron-of the Fleet, under Rear-Admiral Thursby. The rendezvous was i'eached just after halt-past 1 in the morning of the 25th, and there the 1500 men who had been placed on board H.M. ships before leaving Mudros were transferred to their boats. This operation was carried out with remarkable expedition, and in absolute silence. Simultaneously the remaining 2500 men of the covering force were transferred from their transports to six destroyers. At 2.30 a.m. H.M. ships, together with the tows and the. destroyers, proceeded to within some four.miles of the coast, H.M.S. Queen (flying Rear-Admiral Thursby's flag) directing on a point about a mile north of Kaba Tepe.. ..At 3.30 a.m. orders to go ahead and land were given to the tows, and at 4.10 a.m. the destroyers were ordered to follow. "All these arrangements worked without a hitch, and were earned out in complete orderliness and silence. No: breath of wind ruffled the ( surface of," the sea, and every condition was favourable save for the moon, which, sinking behind the ships, may have silhouetted..; tu'em against its orb, betraying them thus to watchers on the- shore. "A rugged and difficult part of the coast had been selected for the.landing, so difficult and rugged that I considered the Turks were not at all likely, to anticipate such a descent. Indeed, owing to the tows having failed to maintain their exact direction the actual point of disembarkation was rather more than a mile north of that which I had selected, and was more closely overhung by steeper cliffe. Although this accident increased the initial difficulty of driving the enemy off the heights inland, it has since proved itself'to have been a blessing in disguise, inasmuch as the actual base of the force oE occupation has been much better defiladed from shell fire. The beach on which the landing was actually effected is a very narrow strip of sand, about 1000 yds in length, bounded on the north and the south by two small promontories. At its southern extreniity a deep ravine, with exceedingly steep, scrub-clad sides, runs inland in a north-easterly direction. Near the northern end of the beach a small but steep gully runs up into the hills at right angles to the shore. Between, the ravine and the gully the whole of the beach is backed by the seaward . face of the spur which forms the north-western side of the ravine. From the top of the spur the ground falls almost sheer, except near the southern limit of the beach, where gentler slopes give access .to the mouth of the ravine behind. Further inland lie in a tangled knot the underfeatures of Sari Bair, separated by deep ravines, which take a most confusing diversity of direction. Sharp spurs, covered with'dense scrub, and falling away in many places in precipitous sandy cliffs, radiate from the "principal mass of the mountain, from^ which they run north-west, west, south°-west, and south to the coast. ..; A VIGOROUS ONSLAUGHT. "The boats approached the land in the silence and the darkness, and they were . close to the shore before the _enem>_ stirred..- Then, about one battalion of Turks was seen running along the beach to intercept the lines of boats. At this so critical a moment the conduct of all ranks was most praiseworthy. Not a word was spoken—everyone remained perfectly orderly and quiet awaiting the enemy's fire, which sure enough opened, causing many casualties. The moment the boats touched land the Australians' turn bad come. Like lightning they leapt ashore, and each man as he did so went straight as his bayonet at the enemy. So vigorous was the onslaught that "the Turks jnade no attempt to withstand it, and fled from ridge to ridge pursued by the Australian infantry. ; "This attack was carried out by the Third Australian Brigade, under Major (temporary Colonel) Sinclair Maclagan, D.S.O. The Ist and 2nd Brigades followed promptly, and were all disembarked by 2 p.m., by which time 12,000 men and two batteries of Indian -Mountain Artillery had been landed. The disembarkation of further artillery was delayed owing to the fact that the enemy's heavy guns opened on the anchorage and forced the transports, which had been subjected to continuous shelling from his field guns, to stand further out [ to sea. "The broken ground, the thick scrub, the. necessity for sending any f formed detachments' post baste as they landed to the critical point of the moment, the headlong valour of scattered groups',of the men who had pressed far further into the peninsula than had been intended—all these led to confusion and mixing up of units. Eventually the mixed crowd of fighting men, some advancing from the beach, others falling back before the oncoming Turkish supports, solidified into a semicircular position with its right about a mile north of Kaba Tepe and iU left on the high ground over. Fisherman's Hut. During this period parties of the 9th and 10th < Battalions charged and put out of action three of the enemy's Krupp guns. During this period also the disembarkation of the Australian Division was being followed by that of the New Zealand-and' Australian Division (two brigades only), ATTACK BY 20 ; 000 TURKS. "From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the. enemy, now reinforced to a strength of-20,000 men, attacked the whole line, making a specially strong effort against the 3rd Brigade and the left of the 2ml Brigadn. This counter-attack was, however, handsomely repulsed with the help . of the guns of His Majesty's ships. Between

i aniT o73o"p.rii~ a third most determined iOiinter-attack was made against the Srd Brigade, who held their ground with ' 11010 than equivalent 'stubborness. Durtng the night again the Turks made conslant attacks.-and the Bth Battalion repellufl a bayonet charge; but in spite •of all the liiiß held firm. The troops had had practically no rest on the night of the 2Uh-'2sth'; -they had been fighting ' hard all day over most difficult country, and they had Ix-eu subjected to heavy shrapnel' fire in the open. Their casual-' ties had licrn deplorable heavy. But, despite their losses, and in spite of their fatigue, the morning of. the 26th found them still in good heart and as full of fight as ever. ;■ . . ■"H is a consolation to know that the TnrUs suffered still more seriously. Several times our machine-guns got on to' them in close formation, and the whole surrounding country is still strewn with their dead of this date. "The reorganisation of units and for' nations was impossible during the 26t.h and 27th owing to persistent attacks. As advance was impossible until a reorganisation could.be effected, and it only remained to entrench the position gained and to perfect the arrangements for bringing up ammunition, water, and supplies to the' ridges—in itself a most difficult undertakng. Four battalions of the Royal Naval Division were sent up to reinforce the Army Corps on the iißth and 29th April. . "On the night of 2nd May a bold effort was made to seize a commanding knoll in front of the centre of the line. The enemy's enfilading machine guns were too scientifically posted, and 800 men were lost without advantage beyond the infliction of a corresponding loss to the enemy. On 4th May an attempt to seize Kaba Tepe was also unsuccessful, the barbed wire here being something beyond belief. But a, number of minor operations have been carried out, 6uch as the taking of a Turkish observing station; the strengthening of entrenchments; the reorganisation of units; and the perfecting of communication with the landing-place.' Also a constant strain ■ has been placed upon some of the best troops of the enemy, who, to the number of; 24,000, are constantly kept fighting and being killed and wounded freely, as the Turkish sniper is no match 'for the Kangaroo shooter, even at his own game. " The assistance of the Royal Navy Sure, £S elsewhere, has been invaluable. The whole of the arrangements have been in Admiral Thursby's hands, and I trust I .may be permitted to say what a trusty and powerful friend he has proved himself to be to tho Australian and New Zealand Army Corps." SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS. Later Australians and New Zealand infantry brigades (including the whole of."the New Zealand Infantry Brigade) were employed from Cape Helles in making a grand assault on Krithia, '^vhich, however, ended in failure. These sadly depleted brigades returned to'their original sphere of operations, subsequently named " Anzac," and with their jbomrades and the arrival of ReinforceJnents "succeeded in maintaining their jposition ; -despite several very hot engagbiaonts. V. The area held being a small one, Jho Anzac position never ceased ( to be ■onder-the fire of the Turkish guns, but the Australians and New Zealanders survived that by constructing elaborate systems of trenches and dug-outs. ■■[ THE FINAL FAILURE. The final effort of the Great Adventure yjaa made in August last, when the Aiizacs were called upon to put up an onnreeedonted • fight-against the Turks ■wbi-le another- big British army was landed at Suvla and came to their assistance. The Australians and New Z&ihmders did everything that was allotted them;' but failed to-get the, support expected, and though much ground was gained the effort failed: The New Zejilaii.Jtrs then specially distinguished themselves, the Mounted Rifles..Brigade Ciu-fting from Sir lan, Hamilton the title of '!;'The Supermen." In actual casualties tho Dardanelles operations cost New Zealand in killed, wounded, and missing over 8000 men. The New Zealanders after the August operations were withdrawn for a spell to a rest camp, and later returned, participating in the final evacuation during the third week in December. This was the first appearance of Australian and New Zealand troops on a, European; battlefield. Previously held cheaply because of their reported " lack of •discipline," they won the reputation OS .soldiers of1 being second to none in the world.