THE ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3200, 14 July 1915, Page 26

THE ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE.

MOST SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT YET. LONDON, July 9. Mr Ashmead Bartlett (official representative of the British press at the Dardanelles) writes : The fighting on June 28 was called “The battle of Gully ravine.” It was the most successful engagement yet fought on the peninsula. We made a good triangular wedge of the left wing, of which each side is a mile. Our losses were comparatively small. Our success was mainly due to the tactics adopted, and the enormous improvement of the support which the artillery afforded. Instead of a general advance, Sir lan Hamilton selected a section upon which every available gun was concentrated. The works chosen for assault were battered to pieces by high explosives, while in 20 minutes the shrapnel cut the wire entanglements to pieces. The success has had a most inspiring effect upon the whole army, and opens the brightest prospects if the gunners are kept supplied with unlimited ammunition. The French lent some trench mortars—deadly weapons dropping bombs with 301 b or 701 b of melinite vertically into the enemy’s trenches at short range with terrible effect. The brunt of the fighting was borne by the 29th Division, whose deeds in Gallipoli assure them of a place in history equal to Wellington’s Peninsular war veterans. Some of the battalions are without a single officer who landed on April 25, but have been brought up to their strength by drafts from the depots and many young officers. Nevertheless, the division attacked with UNSURPASSED DASH AND VIGOUR. The 156th Lowland Brigade also came out of its first battle with Hying colours. The Ist Borderers, at 10.45 a.m., captured Boomerang fort almost without opposition, the survivors being dazed by the bombardment. The artillery then lengthened its range to prevent the Turks from rushing up reinforcements. Simultaneously the Scottish Borderers, Inniskilling Fusiliers, and South Wales Borderers of the 87th Brigade, rushed the first two lines of trenches between the gully-ravine and the sea. The Turks made an effort to check the advance, but the 87th swept irresistibly forward. Meanwhile, on the right of the gullyravine the 4th and 7th Royal Scots made spirited attacks and captured two lines of Turkish trenches, and though two other battalions of the lowland division joined them they met with heavy opposition and suffered severe loss, and they failed to make their objective good. At 11.30 the 86th Brigade, led by the 2nd Royal Fusiliers,

passed through the trenches captured by the 87th, and swept forward upon two more lines of trenches. It was A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE, the men never wavering or losing their formation under heavy artillery and rifle firs. Meanwhile the Indian Brigade, on the extreme left, moved along tne cliffs and reached a green knoll which was our extreme objective. Several companies of the Lancashire Fusiliers advanced to a nullah •which runs through the gully-ravine from the north and dug themselves in, thus connecting up the advanced positions with the 86th Brigade. This closed the morning’s work. All the positions on the extreme right were captured in under an hour and a-half. The Turks showed no disposition to counterattack, their artillery being extremely sparing of ammunition. The British artillery throughout the afternoon put a screen -behind the Turkish firing lines to prevent reserves from coining up. We made a further attempt at 5.50 to capture the trenches on the right, facing Krithia village, but were unsuccessful. The great difficulty on Gallipoli is to hold captured positions against night attacks. The ground is so broken, and provides so much natural cover, that, an enemy who knew every detail of the configuration would he able to creep up. The Turks reverted to these tactics on the night of the 28th, but without success. There was no fighting on the 29tb, the enemy being exhausted, and our men were enabled to make good their positions and run connecting saps to the positions on the right, thus forming a diagonal line facing the enemy. The Turks on the night of the 30th attacked the green knoll on the coast, but their columns were dispersed by the destroyers. Two battalions of Turks further to the right were also unsuccessful, though some, skilfully using cover, reached to within 30 yards of our trenches, but were annihilated. Mr Bartlett is of opinion that the enemy’s powers of resistance have appreciably weakened recently, and thev are losing* faith in the German star. The infantry are dissatisfied with the artillery support, and are afraid to move in the daytime. N BOMBARDMENT RESUMED. ANOTHER TURKISH ATTACK REPELLED. MITYLENE, July 9. It is reported that Turkish soldiers wounded General von Sanders, causing Enver Bey to assume command in Gallipoli. An intense bombardment of the Dardanelles was in progress from midnight on Sunday until seven o’clock on Tuesday morning. It was audible for 50 miles, giving the lie to the printed statement, thrown broadcast through the Australian lines, that the fleet had abandoned them. The Anglo-French have almost surrounded Krithia. The Allies’ line is so advanced that the enemy’s artillery on this side of the straits is unable to drop shells on our encampments, though they are still subject to shelling from the Asiatic side. A few days ago Enver Pasha renewed his attempt to expel the Australians. He was not only repulsed' but the Australians pushed their lines further inland and southwards, and they now include Cape Gaba Tepe. Turkish desertions are increasing daily. AN ADMIRAL’S TRIBUTE. MELBOURNE, July 9. Admiral Thnrsby, of H.M.S. Queen, writing to General Birdwood, expresses the navy’s intense admiration for the gallantry of the Australian and New Zealand troops. The dashing way in which they took the position has become historic. Please convey to all ranks the hfmonr we feel at being allowed to co-operate with the Australian and New Zealand ArmyCorps. CARTHAGE’S CARGO LANDED. MITYLENE, July 9. Prior to being torpedoed, off Cape Helles, as previously cabled, the French liner Carthage landed her entire cargo of ammunition. FIVE HUNDRED TURKS CAPTURED. MITYLENE, July 9. It is reported that 500 Turks and a German officer of high rank were captured on Tuesday and brought to Mudros.