ENEMY OPENS FIRE BEFORE BOATS REACH SHORE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15912, 8 May 1915, Page 7

ENEMY OPENS FIRE BEFORE BOATS REACH SHORE.

TURKISH SHARPSHOOTERS;; HIDDEN EVERYWHERE. LANDING TROOPS SUFFER HEAVY CASUALTIES IN BOATS. (Received May 7,11.30 p.m.) r London, May V. Continuing his description* of the landing of the New Zealand and Australian troops, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett says the landing troops, after the first struggle, found themselves facing an almost perpendicular cliff. Half-way up the enemy had a second trench, strongly held, from which they poured a terrible fire upon the troops below and on the boats pulling back to the destroyers for the second landing part}-. It was a tough proposition to tackle in the darkness, but the colonials stopped only a few minutes to pull themselves together, get rid of their packs, and charge their magazines. Then they proceeded to scale the cliff, without responding to the enemy's fire. They lost some men, but 'did not worry. In less than a quarter of an hour the Turks were out of their second position, and either bayoneted or fleeing. When the daylight came, after the second line of trenches had been taken, it was seen that the landing had been effected rather further north of Gaba Tepo than was originally intended, at a point where the cliffs rise very *heer.

This was a blessing in disguise, because there were no glacies down • which the enemy could fire, while' the broken ground afforded good cover, once the troops had passed over forty yards of flat beach. The country in the. vicinity of the landing appears formidable and forbidding from the sea, • and, presents a, steep front, broken into innumerable ridges,.-, bluffs, and valley, with sandspits rising to a height of several hundred feet. The surface was crumbly sandstone, covered with thick shrubbery, about six fe4 in height—an ideal place for snipers, as the New Zealanders and Australians soon found to their cost. On the other hand, the New Zealand and Australian troops proved themselves adepts at this kind of warfare. In the early part of •the day heavy casualties were saffored in the boats conveying the troops from destroyers, tugs, and transports. The enemy's sharpshooters, who were hidden everywhere, concen- . trated their firo on the'boats. When close in at least three boats broke away from their tow, and drifted down the coast out of control. They were sniped at the whole way, steadily losing men. The work of disembarkation proceeded mechanically under pointblank fire..

The moment the boats touched the beach the troops jumped ashore and doubled for cover, but the gallant boat crews had to pull out under a galling fire from hundreds of points. All- through Sunday, April 25, this went on, while troops, ammunition, and stores., were being landed.

During daylight the warships endeavoured to support the. landingparties by heavy fire from their secondary armaments, but as they did not know the enemy's position their support was more moral than real