THE DARDANELLES.

Evening Star, Issue 15914, 21 September 1915, Page 6

THE DARDANELLES.

OPERATIONS SINGE MAY. THE AUSTRALASIANS’ DOINGS BOTH SOUTH AND NORTH. ATTACK THE BEST DEFENCE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. (Continued from Page 3.) LONDON, September 20. (Received September 21, at 8.25 a.m.) Sir lan Hamilton, continuing his report of the May operations in the Southern Zone, says : The Senegalese Tirailleurs faced a very heavy Turkish artillery, and were compelled to retire. They rallied, made another rush forward, and suffered another repulse. Then a small supporting column charged .along the crest of Kereves Dere. Then came darkness. Next morning we learned that the New Zealanders in the firing line had marched over the enemy’s cleverly-concealed machine guns without seeing them. The enemy machine guns, reopening on our supports as they came up, caused heavy loss. But the first line pressed on and arrived within a few yards of the Turkish trenches which had been holding up our advance. Then they dug themselves in. The _ Australian brigade had advanced, despite heavy losses from shrapnel, ma-chine-gun and rifle fire, and progressed 300 or 400 yards. The determined valor shown by the New Zealand and Australian brigades, under Brigadier-generals Johnston and M’Kay respectively, are worthy of particular praise. Their losses were correspondingly heavy; but, despite fierce counter-attacks by numbers of fresh enemy troops, they stuck to what they had won with admirable tenacity. The net result of Thursday’s fighting was a gain of 600 yards on ‘the British right, and 400 yards on our left and centre. The French had captured all the ground in front of the farm named Zjimmerman, also a redoubt, for the possession of which there had been obstinate fighting during the whole of three days. This gain may not seem much, but actually it is more than at first meets the eye. The Turks, under their German leaders, were quick to realise the fact, and from nightfall till dawn on 31 ay 10 they made efforts everywhere to push us back. An especially heavy attack culminated in a violent hand-to-hnnd conflict. and everywhere the assailants were repulsed. Now for the first time I felt that wo had planted ourselves 'with a fairly firm foothold on the point of Gallipoli Peninsula. AT ANZAC. Meanwhile in the Northern Zone the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps hsd strengthened their grip on Turkish soil. They had been defending and digging themselves in more firmlv on those cliffs where on May 1 it had seemed that our foothold was so precarious. Their rule at this stage of operations was, firstly, to keep open the door leading into the vitals of the Turkish position and to hold up as large a body as possible in front of them so as to lessen the strain to the south at Cape Helles. In fact, “ Anzac ” was cast to play second fiddle to Cape Helles. But that part got out of harmony, and such is the daredevil spirit animating these warriors from the Southern Hemisphere that it has come about that the Australians and New Zealanders’ defensive has always tended to take on the character of attack. Their line at_ this period formed a rough semicircle inland from the beach at Anzac Cove, in diameter about 1,100 yards. The Anzac firing line was everywhere close to the enemy’s trenches, and in all sections sapping, counter-sapping, and bomb attacks were incessant. As many as 1,400 shells an hour fell in Anzac, of all calibres, from llin to field shrannel. Around Quinn’s Post the contest, both above and below ground, was particulai’ly severe. We carried some enemy’s trenches with the bayonet on May 9, established our troops in them, and sent up reinforcements. But a strong counterattack at dawn forced ns to evacuate the trenches. In opposition to this counterattack our guns made great execution. It was discovered later from a Turkish officer’s diary that 600 Turks were killed and 2,000 wounded. A sortie on the night of Mav 15 with the object of falling on the Turkish trenches failed. BRIEF ARMISTICE. (Received September 21, at 9.10 a.m.l On May 15 T deeply regret that Genera! Bridges sustained a fatal wound. He was sincere and single-minded in his devotion to Australia and his duty. His loss stands out amidst that of hundreds of other brave officers who have gone. On May 13 Anzac wan subjected to a heavy bombardment. At midnight the most violent machine-gun and rifle fire yet experienced broke out. and heavy Turkish columns assaulted our left, but were beaten off with loss. Another attack was made before daylight on the centre of this section. It “was repeated four times, 'being always repulsed with heavy loss. At 5 a.m. battle, was fairlv joined. Ihe enemy guns, including 12in and 9m pieces, made a furious cannonade. At 9 -60 a.m. the Turks wore pressing against our left at Courtney Post anil our right at Quinn’s Post, ‘This attack was unable to face the fire from our rivht and it swung round to the left, where it suffered severely from the trendies. A second attack on Quinn’s Post cave wav under the heavy losses suffered. 0 According to a prisoner’s report, 30,000 Turks including five fresh regiments, were used! t non ‘ ?anc * ers himself commanding. Over 3,000 enemy dead were lying in open viewed our trenches, a largo proportion of these losses being due to our artillery fire. Our casualties were 102 killed and SCO wounded. On May 20, at 5 p m., white flags and crescents began to appear all along the fine, _ Major-general Walker met the lurkish officers halfway between the trenches,, and they asked for a suspension ot hostilities for the removal of the dead and wounded. Major-general Walker sa-d ne had not the power to grant this, but ho would exchange letters at 8 p.m. Meantime hostilities recommenced within 10 minutes Hearing of these movements. General Birdwood ordered the trenches to be manned against a possible attack. The enemy s concentration continued, and i° the T «ks’ intention to use the last _ of the daylight to get the Loops into position without being shelled. A message was sent across to the Turks that the clearing up of the dead and wounded would not be allowed during the mght. Immediately fire broke out along the front ot our right section. Masses of 'Tr anCe ' C behind lines of unarmed men holding up their hands. Firimr became general all along the Turkish line aorompamed by a heavy bombardment! Evidently this attack had been prearranged. As, however, the Turks seemed anxmus to bury their dead, and human sentiment and medical science both favored this course. I sent General Bralthwaite to assist General Birdwood in making arrangements. The result was a suspension of arms on May 24 from 7.50 p.m. to 4 30 a.m., and 3,000 Turkish dead P kilJed on or since May 18 were removed or buried. The fighting from May 28 to June 5 seemed to concentrate round Quinn’s Post Enemy galleries were detected there, and °' l v t vr„"'f n Stopped by counterwhich killed 20 Turks and wounded ou. But one gallery was overlooked, and » "as sprung at 3.50 a.m. on Mav 29 in the centre of Quinn’s Post, followed ■by a very heavy bomb attack, before which our left centre subsection fell back, letting m a Turkish storming party and isolating the subsection on the left from the two subsections on the right. At 5.50 a.m. w e counter-attacked, and in half an hour the position was retaken with the bayonet by the 15th Australian Infantry Battalion, led by Major Quinn, who was unfortunately killed. We killed or captured all the Turks in the trench, and the work of restoration of the earthworks was commenced. AROUND QUINN’S POST. , (Received September 21, at 10 a.m.) The Turks again attacked at 6.30, supported by 'artillery, machine guns, and rifle fire. Showers of bombs aieo came

from their trenches, but the steadiness of our infantry and the fine shooting of our guns enabled _ us to inflict a bloody repulse, demoralising the enemy to such effect that their second line of bombthrowers flung their missiles into the middle of their own first line. At 7.15 the attack slackened,, and by 8.45 it had practically ceased. Our casualties were two officers and 39 men killed, and 12 officers and 176 men wounded. The enemy’s casualties must have been serious. Except for our first withdrawal in the confusion caused by the mine explosion, all ranks fought with the greatest tenacity and courage. On May 30 two parties at Quinn’s Post went forward and cleared two enemy sapheads. They penetrated even to the trenches beyond, but were gradually driven back by a Turkish counter-attack, despite our heavy supporting fire. The casualties were chiefly caused by bombs, of which the enemy seem to have an unlimited supply. On the night of June 1 two New Zealand sappers crept out and laid a charge of guncotton against a timber and sandhag “bombproof,” and completely destroyed it.

At sunset on June 4 the “ Anzacs ” carried out three enterprises, and, in compliance with my orders, the enemy’s attention was distracted while the attack was delivered by activity in the Southern Zone. Firstly, a demonstration in the direction of Gaba Tepe, the navy co-oper-ating in the bombarding of the trenches. Secondly, a sortie at 11 p.m. towards a tiench 200 yards from Quinn’s Tost. This failed, but a second sortie, carried out by 100 men at 2.55 a.m., penetrated the trench and demolished a machine-gun emplacement, and the attackers withdrew in good order. Thirdly, at 11 p.m. at Quinn’s Tost a party of 60, accompanied by bomb-throwers on either flank, stormed an enemy trench, bayoneted many of the defenders, and captured. 28 others. A working party followed up the attack. Meanwhile we heavily attacked the Turkish trenches on the left with machine-gun firo and grenades, drawing a very heavy fire. After daybreak the Turk® "strongly attacked and captured the trench, using a. heavier type of bomb than hitherto. At 6.30 a.m. we were obliged to abandon the trench and retire to our original fire trench. Our casualties were 80. and the enemy’s were considerably heavier. SMALL SORTIES.

On June 5 two officers and 100 men of Hie Ist Australian Infantry sortied at Quinn’s Tost, their objective being the destruction of a- machine gun in a trench known as “ German officers’ ” trench. A special party of 10 men, under Lieutenant Eric Lloyd, dashed for the machine, gun. One of them managed to fire three rounds into the gun at a range of sft; another fired three rounds at the same range through the loophole. The darkness in the trench and the overhead cover prevented the use of the bayonet, but some damage was done by shooting down over the parapet. As much of the trench as possible was dismantled. Though this party were enfiladed all the time by machine guns on either flank the aim of the gallant assault was attained, and the party withdrew in good order with their wounded, the total casualties of this sortie being 56. Incessant attacks and counter-attacks till the end of June grievously swelled the casualty list. Several of these daily encounters would have been the subject of separate despatches in the campaigns of my youth, but cannot even so much as be mentioned here. I may briefly mention _ one example from the French and British and the Anzac spheres, so that you may understand the nature ot the demands made on the troops’ energies and fortitude ;

On the night of June 29 the Turks, under Enver Pasha’s direct personal order to drive us all into the sea, made a big attack at Anzac, principally on the portion of the lino under General Godlcy. From midnight till 11.50 a.m. the musketry and machine guns of the 7th and Bth Light Horse played on them. An hour later another grand attack against our left was equally cut to pieces by our artillery and rifle firo. The enemy’s casualties may be judged from the fact that in the areas exposed to view between 40*9 and 500 were actually seen to fall.

( Sir Inn Hamilton eulogises General Gourand’s daring in danger and calm in a crisis, General Hunter-Wcston's resolute genius for war, General Brailiiwaite’e untiring loyalty, and General Maxwell's remarkable administrative abilities in Egypt. General Birdwood has been the soul of Anzac. He adds; “ Not for a single day has he ever quitted: his post. Cheery and full of human sympathy, he has spent many hours out of each 24 inspiring the defenders in the front trenches. If he does not know every soldier in his force, at leaet every soldier believes he is known to his chief.” Sir lan Hamilton concludes: “ I must refer to the shadow cast over the whole of our adventure by the loss of so many gallant and true-hearted comrades. Some wo shall never see again; some have the mark of the Dardanelles set upon them for life; others, thank God, by far the greater proportion, will ho back in due course at the front.” THE ANAFARTA FIGHT. (Received September 21, at noon.) Sir lan Hamilton issued the following special order, dated September 7:—“ I desire to record the fine feat of arms by General Birdwood’s command during the battle of Sari Bair. The fervent desire of all ranks to close with the enemy, the impetuosity of their onset, the steadfast valor with which they maintained the long struggle—these surely appeal to our fellow-countrymen the world over. The gallant capture of the almost impregnable Lone Tine trenches by the Australian division, and the equally fine defence of the position against repeated counterattacks, are exploits which will live in history. The determined assaults carried out from other parts of the Australian division’s lino were also of inestimable service, preventing the movement of large reinforcements to the northern flank.”

Sapper Percy Cameron, New Zealand Field Engineers, who was killed in action at the Dardanelles, was the son of Mr J. C Cameron, and was born in Dunedin in April, 1892. He was educated at the Albany Street School, and from there went to the Otago Boys’ High School, leaving there to enter the employ of the D.1.C., Dunedin. After serving his apprenticeship he joined the Christchurch branch of the D.1.C., and was amongst the first to enlist from there. He left with the main bodv on October 16. Letters expressing regret and sympathy have been received by Mr Cameron from the employees of the D.I.C. at Dunedin and Christchurch. The deceased was very popular with both staffs. He was a keen amateur photographer, and some fine specimens of his work in this direction were seen at the various exhibitions in Christchurch. He was an active member of the Christchurch Thotographic Society. Private Charles W. Cowan, who has been reported wounded in the neck and shoulder, is the third son of Mrs Cowan, North-east Valley, Dunedin, and is a brother of the late Lieutenant Cowan and Trooper Colin Cowan, who left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force. Previous to his departure with the Fifth Reinforcement- Private Cowan spent a number of years in the North Island. Mr Thomas Scott, ex-Mayor of the City of Dunedin, has received advice that his son. Lance-corporal John Duncan Scott, of the New Zealand Field Engineers, has been wounded in the ankle.