TRAGIC TELEGRAM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10871, 15 April 1929, Page 5

TRAGIC TELEGRAM

BROUGHT ABOUT GALLIPOLI FAILURE. BIG OPERATIONS PROPOSED BY LLOYD ■ GEORGE. THEN BRITAIN CALLED ON TO HELP RUSSIA. PLEDGE FULFILLED BUT REASON HAD CEASED T O EXIST.

STARTLING FACTS RKVIt \ I.KD

(British Official Wireless.) LONDON. April 12. General C. I*'. Aspinoll Oglamler’s official history oi Gallipoli discloses how. in December, 1914, Mr Lloyd George, “realising that the Western Front was impregnable,” suggested that the Allied line should be garrisoned bv the French, and with the exception oi a large. British reserve to be kept in case of emergency, the whole British Army should, be taken, bag and baggage, from France and despatched to the new theatre. Mr Lloyd George suggested immediate preparations lor two independent Mediterranean operations in the spring, the main one being an attack on Austria, with a base at Salonika, for which an add tional 600,000 British troops won Id he used, while the Foreign Office should try to secure the help of the Rumanians, Serbs, and Greeks. The subsidiary operation was to -have been a landing on the Syrian coast, with the object, of severing 'lurkey’s I nc of communication with Fgypt. Mr Lloyd George pointed out that unless such steps were taken it would be impossible to end the existing stalemate.

Lord Kitchener accordingly, on January 2, 191'). wrote to Sir John French, but before' a reply was received a telegram of momentous consequences reached London Irom the British Ambassador at Retrograd, a telegram which was destined to lead the Government hv slow almost insensible. degrees, to the Gallipoli campaign, “with all its high hopes, immortal heroisms, and its final heart-breaking ta litre.’" The telegram reported a grave situation in the Caucasus. Uv.-mg to the Turks’ serious enveloping movement the Grand Duke Nicholas was unable to semi the local Russian commander roinlorremcmts. as every available man was needed on tile Austro-Geinian limit: therelore. the Grand Duke asked if Lord Kitchener could arrange either a naval o' in Jitary demonstration against the Turks'elsewhere, and thus ease the situation.

The tragedy of this telegram, so direful in its result, lies in the tact that even while ilie means ol making a demonstration were being discussed in London, the neee*stv lor it nlrcndv had disappeared. By -January 3 the Turkish enveloping movement hail lailed, hut this information was not known m London. and I lie British ('lovenimeut felt hound to do its minus! to help an allv whose danger in the ( aucasiis ha.d ar sen Irom its dangerous endeavor to relieve the presume against France. Ns no troops were I l.en available. .Lord Kitehener discussed the possibility of a purely naval deiuoiislrntioii. Thus, ior a reason whim elread v ceased to cxi-t. Britain -toad pledged to male- a nolle, astral ion a ,r a list, the Turks. l'l.e place- to! it had v.-t 1.0 1).. decided. though Lord Kitchener considered ;t shniinl he at 'lie Darihniedu.:

SECRET ’ITKKO-GERM AN TR'F.ATY DN ABG IST 2, 191 I

I I'KKS PEAK ( ONSKQI'EN* 'KS

XFGOTIATD WITH RUSSIAN'S Til REE DAYS EATER.

GERMAN WARSHIP UI’SETS PLANS. United Press Assn by Kl. Tel. Copyright (United Service.) (Received .April 11. 5.5 p.m.' LONDON. April 13. Tim British Oilicial History ot Gallipoli, 'n addition to the extracts already published, reveals the iutoiosting and hitherto unpublished tact that Turkey and Germany signed a .secret treaty on August -. ‘1914. Britain's entry into the war completely upset 'I urkey s views, and. fearing the consequences. Enver Pasha, on August 5. approached tile Russian Attache w.tli definite . proposals for a Russo-'l urkisli alliance against. Germany. Russia did not inform England or 1* ranee ol Las air a few days. Shortly after the Gernii'in war.slim Goehmi reachon ou.stantinop'c. 'and Hm eppor.unity lor gaining Turkey's, >• import d:s;i;;j earTlm ILstorv of the succeeding weeks preceding the outhrcjik oi war with Turkey is traced clearly and interestingly. The book reveals the uiilurtimalc effect of the successful British boinbardmont in February. U)LS. winch warned Turkey of the inadequacy of lier defences without achieving anything defimte.

TURKEY'S UN PR EPAREDNESS

Documents arc Irccly quoted ti acnig the stages by which the decision for a purely naval attack was -reached. Turkey's unpreparedne-.s, as revealed by the description of_ the first day’s bombardment., when 50 men. landed- without casualties and demolished thi' lorts at l a kite Buinii, at which the 29th Divis on lost- 30.)!; • jnen in one day exactly two months later. Most of the subscqiir.it history is already known.

LASTING FA.-Ml'

PROWESS OK THE ANZACS

G IA)R I.OUS S 1 OPY OK THE LANDING RETOLD

WITHIN )VN WJE OE TRIUMPH

timtocl Prcas Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright (Received April' 11, 5.5 p.mA LONDON, April LI. Tlie first mention of (he Aiizacs in the Oilicial History ot Gallipoli, is enthusiast’e.

’•The prowess of the AustralNew Zealand troops in the Creat War won lasting fame, but it was on Callipoii above th 0 beach which bears their name, that their laurels were first gained. It was there they set up a standard of brawry, tenacity and reserve furnishing an example for all who followed them. From the viewpoint of gen oral physique these two divisions were the flower of Australian and New Zealand manhood. All who saw them in the early days of the campaign agree- they wero probably as fifne a body of men as ever stood to arms.”

The Third Brigade's . landing is fully described, and units and commanders particularised. The glorious story, is again recounted in stirring language, and the maimer in winch the difficulties of the ground and the absence id artillery jeopardised- and finally ruined the Anzacs’ fortunes. /_ . I Summarising the situat on qli the • night of April 25, the History Isays:

“It would appear, indeed, that despite the almost impossible task to which the mistake in selecting a landing place had committed them, the Australians and New Zealanders were within an ace of triumph, yet such is war. Seldom, indeed, has the mettle of inexperienced troops been subjected to more severe tests. It may well- bo doubted if even a veteran division could have carried out a co-ordinated attack at Anzac on April 25. The predominant failing that astonishing battlefield must always arouse will be unstinted admiration for untried battalions, who did so exceedingly well.’’

Full details are. given of the various British landings, including Y Beach, wh eh was ‘•Cleverly conceived, happily opined, hesitatingly conducted. and miserably ended.’"

A STORY THAI" WILL LIVE FDR EVER.

'l’he History is punctuated with stirring tributes to the Anzacs. For example, after emphasising that Anzac territory was only a strip 1 1 miles along the coast, and the greatest depth only one thousand yards from ilie sea. with an anchorage under hostile observation, the writer savs:—

“Only those who visited the actual groifpd and took in the incredible position from tr.e old Turkish front Una can ruily appreciate the spirit of the troops who held it. That the Australians and New Zealanders never relinquished the grasp that mad e this apparently hopeless position impregnable, that after awaiting reinforcements for thre e months they re-attacked and very nearly won, is a story that will live for ever-’’

Til K CALI.ANT BRITISH CHARGE AT KIUTHJA.

Referring to the second battle at Ivnthia, the History says:

“In half an hour the gallant charge of this brigade, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Eattal ions under Brigadier-General J. W. McCay—an unrecognised Balaclava charge—had ended with a loss of over onr thousand out of two thousand engaged, including the brigadier and both staff officers wounded. The charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava resulted in th e loss of 247 out of 673.

The hook closes with a synopsis of the position ni the end ef the first phase of the campaign, terminating w th the second battle of Kritliia. The historian adds;

“If the eight thousand rounds fired on Aubers Ridge against the Cermans on the following day had been available at Krithia, they might well have*carried Sif lan Hamilton on to The Narrows and the flep-t to Constantinople.”

The History is a valuable addition to the Gallipoli library.