SPIES WITH THE AUSTRALASIANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3199, 7 July 1915, Page 25

SPIES WITH THE AUSTRALASIANS.

SYDNEY, July 2. Reuter’s Cairo correspondent, recounting stories of German spies with the Australasian ranks at the Dardanelles, says: “ A most disconcerting instance of treachery is related about one of our own men enjoying the reputation of being a first-class sniper. He used to go daily towards the enemy. Suspicions were aroused; he was followed, and was discovered sniping his own officers. This man was born in Australia of German parentage. While the troops were at Cairo several men were suspected of being spies, but this particular man appears to have cleverly disarmed suspicion.” Reuter’s correspondent mentions that a telephone wire to the Australian headquarters was tapped by Germans, who sent the message, “ We’re going to drive you Australian devils to the sea.” The headquarters were moved, owing to shelling, and next day the Turks concentrated their fire upon the new quarters, proving that information was conveyed by spies to the enemy. MELBOURNE, July 2. A despatch received from Gallipoli relates that a quantity of uniforms which disappeared from the Australian camps in Egypt are being used by German spies in Gallipoli. TURKISH COUNTER-ATTACK. REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSS. LONDON, July 2. General Sir lan Hamilton reports that determined Turkish counter-attacks at Aclii Baba on -the 29th were repulsed. The French captured a strong system of entrenchments on the 30th. The enemy’s losses were very considerable. The Press Bureau states that General Hamilton reports that on the afternoon of the 29th hostile columns moving west from north of Achi Baba and south from Kilid Bahr towards the Turkish right indicated that the enemy were preparing to counter-attack the position captured on the 28th. During the evening two mine galleries in front of the right centre were blown in. Afterwards the enemy subjected our trenches to two hours’ heavy rifle, machine gun, and some artillery fire. A lull followed. Then came another outburst of fire, and the Turks made a determined attack on our left with the bayonet, which was repulsed with heavy -Turkish loss. The Turks on the southern front made a concerted attack along the coast. The Wolverine got her searchlights and guns on the main body and caused heavy loss. TURKS’ FIRST IMPRESSION. COPENHAGEN, July 2. An officer in the mercantile marine who was recently at Constantinople states that the Turks were at first under the impression that the Allies had failed at the Dardanelles, but now it is manifest that they are slowly hut surely gaining ground. His impression was that the Turks could not hold out " much longer, and foreigners assisting in the defence would have a terrible time if Constantinople capitulates. The Turkish population at Gallipoli were on the friendliest terms with the Allies, because thev paid in gold, whereas the Germans paid in paper. The Allies, he believes, are on the point of becoming masters of the Sea of Marmora. WEALTHY AUSTRALIAN’S GENEROSITY. SYDNEY, July 3. Sir Samuel ATCaughey has given £IOOO per month for 10 months to the Australian wounded fund. REPORTED MISSING. MELBOURNE, July 3. Private G. W. Dayson, reported missing at the Dardanelles, is a son of Mrs Riddell, of Kahuika (Gatlins district). GERMAN SUBMARINE AT CONSTANTINOPLE. AMSTERDAM, July 3. A representative of a Hungarian newspaper interviewed Lieutenant Hersing, commander of a German submarine. Lieutenant Hersing said he covered five thousand miles in a month. He left Wilhelmshaven on April 25, travelled mostly on the surface, and did not see a single British warship to Gibraltar, where ho noticed a British destroyer. He waited until nightfall, and then dived and passed on. On the day of his arrival in the JEgean he sank the Triumph, and dived as a British destroyer approached, and passed over the submarine. When he encountered the Majestic he saw through his periscope the crew preparing for lunch, and hesitated about her destruction! bub, duty triumphing over sentiment, he tor-

pedoed her and dived. Both the Triumph and Majestic were protected bv nets. ATHENS" July 3. There are now three German submarines', at the Golden Horn. RUSSIAN SUBMARINE AT WORK. PETROGRAD, July 3. A Russian submarine sank two steamers and a large sailing vessel in the Black Sea, and a number of small vessels went ashore. SERBIANS OCCUPY DURAZZO. ROME, July 3. The Serbians have occupied Durazzo, on the west coast of Turkey (Albania). TURKISH TROOPSHIP SUNK. LONDON, July 3. A British submarine sank a steamer full of troops in the Sea of Marmora. RECALLED FOR COWARDICE. PARIS, July 3. According to Le Temps, von Muller, commander of the Goeben, has been recalled to Berlin, owing to his failure to attempt to destroy Russian ports in the Black Sea. NEW ZEALAND WOUNDED. ARRIVAL AT WESTRALIA. FREMANTLE, July 3. A steamer unexpectedly arrived from the Dardanelles en route for New Zealand, conveying 13 officers and 268 men sick and wounded. The majority participated in the landing at Gaba Tepe, and show visible signs of contact with the enemy. Their general characteristic is cheerfulness. Major Mackenzie, Captains Mitchell and Withers, and eight Australian nurses loaned to New Zealand are also aboard. FRENCH SUCCESSES EXTENDED. THE CAPTURED POSSESSIONS ROUNDED OFF. LONDON, July 2. Sir lan Hamilton’s report continues “The Eastern attack was pressed closer under a heavy artillery fire, but was finally checked 40 yards from our parapet. Bomb attacks were intermittent, and shelling was continued, but no further general attack was made. The French moved out at 6.30 next morning, and by 7.20 had captured a strong system of entrenchments immediately in front of the left centre line, which they call the quadrilateral. The French bombardment drove out a number of Turks, inflicting much execution during the retreat. Subsequently the trenches prolonging the quadrilateral to the south was captured after more serious fighting, thus rounding off the gains which the French made on the 21st. The enemy’s losses were everywhere considerable. The capture positions are being consolidated.’’ THE WOUNDED GENERAL. PARIS, July 3. General Gourand received three severe wounds, but in view of his robust health it is hoped that his recovery' will be rapid. WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL DO. LONDON, July 2. Sir Edmund Barton, speaking at the Colonial Institute, said that although it might be a great strain on Australia’s resources to send 150,000 men, she could and would do so if asked. He also believed Canada could send double that number. PREFERENCE TO SOLDIERS. PERTH, July 3. The Government announces that it will give preference of employment to returned soldiers. TROOPS FROM RABAUL. MELBOURNE, July 4. The Government has authorised the payment pf £84,000 (?) to the Union Company for the conveyance of 1200 treops from Rabaul to Sydney. ALLIES’ POSITION STRENGTHENED. TURKS’ AMMUNITION FAILING. MITYLENE, July 4. The operations of the past week have materially improved the allied situation. The advance puts our lines in a position to seriously threaten the Turkish occupation of Achi Baha. No munitions have reached Turkey through the Balkans for a month. The production of the two Turkish factories is practically zero, owing to lack of material and the scarcity of skilled labour. Tire Turkish artillery is thus limited to a score of shells in the morning and a score in the evening. The spirits of the soldiers are drooping. Prisoners state that their comrades would willingly surrender, but the Germans take strong measures to make this difficult. Machine guns under picked men are placed in commanding positions behind the trenches, and the gunners have no hesitation in firing on their comrades if they show the slightest inclination to cease fighting. The spirits of the Turks are sustained only by bringing np entirely fresh troops, which cannot last long. The French artillery is magnificent. One four-hours’ bombardment poured 10,000 shells on four lines of trenches 430 yards long. When the infantry advanced they met not the slightest opposition. They rushed up the slope without a shot

being fired, and found the defenders annihilated and the trenches a mass of wreckage. It is estimated that 10 French shells fell on each square yard. It is reported that Von dor Goltz has asked the Turkish Government for an additional 300,000 men before he accepts all responsibility for the defence of Constantinople. TURKS ARE “CLEAN FIGHTERS.” LONDON, July 4. A New Zealand officer recently returned from the Dardanelles, interviewed in London, says: “The Turks are clean fighters. Never, so far as he was aware, did they fire on the Red Cross. “ We want plenty of machine guns and an unlimited supply of high explosive shells to put us on an equality with the enemy.” SULTAN’S CONDITION GRAVE. BERLIN, July 4. A Press Bureau message states that the condition of the Sultan is grave. ATHENS, July 5. A rumour is current to the effect that the Sultan of Turkey is dead. ' GENERAL GOURAND’S WOUND. LIE IS INVALIDED HOME. PARIS, July 4. General Gourand, in an army order dated June 4, said : “ You must remember, in advancing against the enemy on Turkish soil, that it is yet our hateful enemy Germany that you are fighting She has stirred up against us the Turks, formerly our friends. Therefore, show mercy to the Turks who surrender.” Official: General Gourand was struck by fragments of a shell near an ambulance station to which he had gone to visit the wounded. His life is not in danger, but lie is being invalided home. General Bailloud has provisionally assumed the command in his place.