GABA TEPE LINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15997, 16 August 1915, Page 10

GABA TEPE LINES.

SAPPING AND BOMBING.

TWELVE YARDS BETWEEN TRENCHES. "The last three weeks have produced practically no alteration in the position of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps' lines at Gaba Tepe," writes an Australian trooper under date June 1. " On the other hand, the Turks have pursued a course of action which had for its object the reduction of the conflict to one of siege operations, after the manner of the struggle in France. They have attained their object at a heavy cost. The fact that the enemy has constructed a multitude of < trenches in front of our lines does not mean, however, that the latter are weakened. Rather they have beer strengthened to meet the new require ments. Tine struggle is now without much movement: the grinding together o two v 'fronts. The Germans and Turks, rea lising the impossibility of driving oui troops off the peninsula by infantry at tacks in close formation, spasmodic nigh attacks, and heavy shelling, are no* using their best endeavours to dig, blast and bomb our men back into the sea. Th answer to the question as to why the cannot accomplish their object with thei greatly superior forces and more con manding tactical position is that they ai encountering troops of greater braver? endurance, and resource than themselve: ' The Turkish trenches have been coi tinually pushed forward by sapping in th daytime and under cover of darknes Cn our left flank row upon row of the) extend back up the slopes of Gaba Tep Hill. This elaborate system of works no doubt intended to threaten our le: flank, where Monash Gully passes in b hind our trenches. Our artillery on tl next ridge and two detached posts gr\ good protection here. Further along t wards the centre at Quinn's Post th enemy's trenches have been pnshed up i within 12 yards of ours. A 48-hour: spell in this locality is always full of ii cident. From Courtnay's the Turkis trenches fall back gradually till a distant of about 150 yards separates them from i at the sea. At Quinn's Post. Despite the gruelling time it has ha the lonely army corps has lost none < its confidence by its isolation. At time detachments are sent down to Cape HeU< and their attacks there are made wit the same dash which established them o Gaba Tepe on April 25. In fact, the me relish a chance for bayonet wielding as change from the monotony of trenc work. The various units are scheduled t have 48 hours in the trenches and 8 hours out, but a rest of this length is e? ceptional. In really hot corners, such a Quinn's Post, one" is kept busy all th time. To venture a peep above the para pet is suicide. All observation has to b done by means of periscopes, and the lif of these instruments is a brief span. L this position we rely largely on coverinj fire from either side to keep down th enemy's fire, most of which seems to com< from trenches further back. The antic; of the Turks ' in the front trench are quaint in the extreme. ' Keeping theii heads well under cover they thrust theii rifles above the parapet, and pull theii triggers with their thumbs. But rifle fire is only a secondary means of attack and defence at such close quarters. It is the continual throwing of bombs that makes life stirring. On May 19, at Quinn's, a fairly good sample of bombing operations occurred. The Turks by continual throwing of grenades succeeded in reducing our trench to a condition in which it offered no cover to the occupants. When it was *»(■„ that further occupation meant use le=* waste of life those holding this weturn were withdrawn a little to the rig].l and Ml. There th, awaited the attack which thev knew would not be long ir coming. In due course the Turks arrivor '" oe.-upv the few yards which tin colonials would ctrtainly not have evacu ated if tenure was in any way possible ].'■ storming party remained alive fn perhaps ten seconds, being greeted will fi\ft rounds rapid. Xo time was lost 1> our men in repairing the damage done and reoccupying the trench.

Two Danger Points. " Under cover of darkness two nights later the Turks drove two saps to within four yards or our lines. The dawn revealed to us the two drinker points strongly fortified by sandbags. The situation having been reported to brigade headquarters, the instruction came back ' that, the saps A and B be destroyed ' Special men were selected to form the two storming parties, which carried with them tools for demolition work. At one o'clock 30 men swarmed over the trench top and were greeted with a withering fire Half-a-dozen fell hack dead or wounded, and the rest endeavoured to cover the paltrv four yards to the sap heads. Another dozen were knocked over during the sc-amb.e over■the. bodies of the "dead 1 which lav on that twelve feet. One parU I turned the Turks out of a sap. and were then compelled to retire, leaving the'demolition work to be done later The' second party bayoneted the occupants of the point it assaulted, destroyed the san and occupied its head. No" news 'came from the time or ten men here for several hours. Firing at all points was incessant and communication by word of mouth impossible. At last a message was thrown back ma cartridge case from the ' that « had ■ ?£J- i l C,~„ • %fter dark. The . *>« of accomplish -:'. u::d: ■■.-.; .'V..