GALLIPOLI

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 8

GALLIPOLI

WHY THE FAILURE? WINSTON CHTRCHIL'I/ AND THE EXPERTS. A CONTROVERSY REOPENED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Anstrahan t.nd N.Z. Cable A^^ooifltmn (Received October 30, 11.15 p.m.) LONDON. October 30. Mr Winston ChurohilVfl book, ‘“The World Crisis. 1915,” has been published, and is widely reviewed. Admiral Sir Mark lverr, in a five-column review in the “Morning Post,” describes it as Mr Churchill’s apologia for his part in the Dardanelles failure. Admiral Kerr Churchill’s great talents, personality, and imagination enabled him to perform many and various services for his country, particularly in connection with the anti-submarine warfare, but he distributes blame with a lavish hand to colleagues and -subordinates in this apologia. The render feels ho is the man with a clever pen who persuaded men whose experience was gained with the fword t-o a certain action a&ainst their wills. No man of any account seems to have been whole-heartedly with Air Churchill in his efforts to conquer the Dardanelles without an ade* quato army on the spot. A MILITARY OPERATION “As early as September 4th, 1914, Mr Churchill approached Greece, asking the most fensilble way of striking at the heart of the Turkish Empire and the number of British ships required to supplement the Grech Nayv. The Greek -reply was that the British Fleet, backed Wall the navies in the world, could not force the Dardanelles, which must bo a military operation, owing to the 17 rows of mines, torpedo tube?' and batteries, and that it was no use forcing a passage as the ships sacrificed would block the hole, in the minefield they made.” Admiral Kerr says Mr Churchill and Lord Fisher were strategically correct in desiring to open a passage for eian wheat and for munitions going to Russia. The error which caused the failure was trying to bluff the Turk, and thus making him build up defence* on Gallipoli which otherwise would have been left severely alone. Before the first bombardment only 5000 Tuples wore on Gallipoli and no guns. The northern and western sides of the Bnlair lines were empty of men and arms, but after the naval disasters of March 18th to the battleships.lnflexible. Ocean and Irresistible. the Turks believed Allah .wn» with them. THE TTOKS WARNED. “As the" Greeks knew, to give the Turks this warning was madness. A high official in the Ministrv of Marine in Athens, when he heard the news, said: Ht will be the end of the Dardanelles expedition. Now the Turks will make it impregnable before the troops can arrive.’ I/ord Kitchener was of opinion that 150.000 men would be sufficient for the capture of the Dardanelles. Thus, in agreement with the considered plan of the Greek General Staff, they nronoeed 20.000 men to seize the Alexandrctta railwnv. 30.000 in the Gulf of Adrcriivt; to contain the Smyfna Army Corps. 30.000 to soi'ao the Bulair lines’ and GO.OOO to 80.000 to land at Oaba Teno to take Gallipoli forts inthe rear, end turn the guns on the Asiatic shore.” • Admiral Kerr says this operation would not. only have taken the Dardanelles, but would have held them.