THE DARDANELLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16495, 22 September 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

ATTACK ON SARI BAIR. PRIVATE GLUTHA MACKENZIE'S ACCOUNT. ACRES OF DEAD AND DYING MEN. LONDON, September 20. Private Clutha Mackenzie, son of the New Zealand High Commissioner, who was wounded and lost liis eyesight at the Dardanelles, has been interviewed. He said : "The New Zealanders and Australians wore given a special job on the night of August 8. Their task was to attack the foothills leading to Sari Bair, which is the key to the situation. The fighting was terrific. During the night we advanced two miles and took all the ridges and foothills leading to the main Turkish position. Meanwhile the British had landed several regiments at Suvla Bay. " On the following day we reached the hill-top, after fighting of the most awful character. My regiment was practically wiped out, and many other New Zealand regiments, including the Maoris, fared just as badly. The scene on the summit was beyond description. There were acres of dead and dying men. " Upon our left the Ghurkas and Australians advanced well out towards Anafarta Ridge, but were driven back. The Turkish machine-gunnery was wonderful. Apparently they had an unlimited number of machine guns. The Turks are also proficient at bombing, and did terrible execution at the hill top. We advanced till the end of .our line was 10 yards from the crest. We were right upon the Turks, whose trenches were fully manned despite the warships' previous heavy bombardment. The Turks were throwing hundreds of bombs right and left. The fighting was of the most sanguinary character. Some high-explosive shell burst immediately in front of me, blowing in both my eyes. Otherwise I was not scratched. I crawled over heads of dead to the rear, assisted by a stretcher-bearer, who heroically exposed himself to an awful fire attending the wounded, many of whom- lay for 48 hours without water in the blazing sun. I was the only one able to walk. I reached the hospital ship 30 hours after I was wounded, but some of my comrades did not reach the hospital ship for three days. The Turks unsuccessfully shelled the hospital ship." Mr Mackenzie paid a tribute to the clean Turkish methods of fighting.

3 SLAUGHTER OF ARMENIANS. APPEAL TO AMERICAN PEOPLE. NEW YORK, September 20. Viscount Bryee, ex-British Ambassador > to Washington, has issued an 'appeal to : the American people to stop the slaughter of Armenians, or at least to protest against i the wholesale massacres proceeding in Asia ; Minor. Women are being seized for Turkish harems and compelled to join the Moslem faith. Many are driven into the i deserts of Arabia and Syria, and over 10,000 Armenians -were drowned at Trebizond, while a quarter of a million escaped into Russia. The Italian Consul ivouches ' for the fact of the Trebizond massacre. TURKISH OFFICIAL REPORT. CONSTANTINOPLE, September 20. Fighting has been proceeding for some days on the front in Mesopotamia. There was a big gun duel between the Allies' warships and the Turkish batteries at the Dardanelles. NEW ZEALAND WOUNDED. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S SOLICITUDE. LONDON, September 20. The Hon. Thomas Mackenzie has taken a cottage adjacent to the hospital at Walton for the purpose of cheering up the New Zealand wounded. MEMORIAL SERVICE. IN SYDNEY TOWN HALL. SYDNEY, September 21. A memorial service for the men who have perished on Gallipoli, organised by the Salivation Army, was held in the Sydney Town Hall, where there was an impressive gathering. ]far J. A. Cook (Opposition Leader) paid a tribute to the dead. He said the record of the Australian., heroes would never perish, - because it was woven into the warp and woof of the history of the Empire and of civilisation. He urged the men present to carry on their good work. TRANSPORTING HEAVY ARTILLERY. ORIGIN OF THE RUMOUR. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, September 20. (Received Sept. 21, at 4.35 p.m.) The Times correspondent at Salonika reports that local Germanophile papers published a telegram from Sofia, announcing that the Turks were transporting all the Adrianople, Kirk Kilisse, and Tchataldja heavy artillery to Gallipoli. A GERMAN REVIEW. EARLY OFFENSIVE EXPECTED. PROSPECTS OF THE STORMY SEASON. BERLIN, September 21. (Received Sept. 21, at 9.25 p.m.) The Lokal Anzeiger, in a review of the Gallipoli fighting, says: "The approach of the equinox, with south-westerly storms, does not give the Allies much time; hence the Turks expect a general | offensive immediately. Later, the weather will impose a calm for the winter. Although the sandy ground offers a good anchorage, the strongest ships can stay in the Gulf of Saros 1 during a storm only by straining their engihes to the utmost activity. Lighters -would be out of the question for days and weeks. It is easy to see what this means for an army on a small strip of land. The conditions of the Anglo-French camp after five days' stora will be terrible to contemplate. Hence one great attack is expected, and then the finish. The elements will do their work, ■ supported by the bayonets of the gallant Anatolians." CLERGY IN REVOLT. ENVER PASHA AND COMPANIONS EXCOMMUNICATED. , LONDON, September 21. i (Received Sept. 21, at 9.25 p.m.) 1 The Daily Telegraph's Rome correspon- ! dent learns that the Turkish clergy have revolted against the Young Turks and the Germans, and have excommunicated Enver Pasha and his companions. The [j clergy's action has made a great impression upon the people and the army, and <] it is believed that the majority of the y Committee of Union and Progress opposes t; the continuation of the war. °

THE " MISSING." FRENCH ANXIOUS TO HELP. PARIS, September 21. (Received Sept. 21, at 9.25 p.m.) The problem of the Allies' soldiers who are missing at Gallipoli is arousing anxiety, especially as. to whether help can be sent to the •prisoners. M. Toussaint (president of the Nouvelle Dusallat), is attempting to trace the names of the missing men through the Geneva Red Cross (which is communicating with Vienna), the Bucharest Red Cross Association, and the Catholic missions in the Levant.