THE LANDING, 1915.

Otago Witness, Issue 3590, 2 January 1923, Page 23

THE LANDING, 1915.

HOW KEMAL STOPPED THE ANZACS. WHITEHALL CHECKMATED. THE NELSON TOUCH. , (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, October 13. In Truth there appears an interesting outline of history relative to the British landing at Gallipoli in 1315, which may not, perhaps, be generally known. It is outlined by “One Who Was There.” He says: ’Though Mustapha Kemal’.s name has been on everyone’s lips for the past wedk.3. there are few who realise that it was this man who, more than anyone—at any rate outside Whitehall—was responsible for checkmating the British landing in Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. Kemal was at that time commanding the Turkish 19th Division, in army reserve at Maidos, some five miles across the peninsula from Anzac Cove. No landing in force was expected near Anzac, and Liman von Sanders (German Commander-in-C’hief of the Turkish Army of the Dardanelles) had made up his mind that our mam effort would be made iff the neighbourhood of Bulair. For this reason he had placed two divisions to oppose a landing in this locality, and had given strict orders to Kemal that the 19th Division was not to he drawn into action elsewhere without his (Liman’s) direct sanction. He himself established his G.H.Q. at the town of Gallipoli, just south of the Bulair lines, so as to be as near as possible to the scene of the coming operations. “Liman von Sanders was not the only one who expected our troops to land near Bulair. Every armchair critic in the world shared the same view, and Sir lan Hamilton has placed on record that, apart from other weighty reasons, one of the influences that persuaded him to try elsewhere was a natural reluctance to throw his troops against just that point where, the main Turkish forces were awaiting theft'. In order, however to play upon von Sanders’s fears, Sir liffl Hamilton arranged for a big concentration of warships and transports in the Gulf of Saros during the night of April 24-25, It was in connection with this demonstration that Colonel Freyberg, V.C.. performed his immortal exploit of swimming ashore alone and lighting fires on the beach overlooked by the Turks.

“So much for the general situation when in the early hours of April 25 the British forces were thrown ashore at two places— English troops on the toe of the peninsula. Australians at Anzac Cove. One of the primary objects of tlie Australians was to reach and hold a position on the heights of Sari Bair, from which the guns of the fleet could be directed on to the Narrows, thereby preventing Tui-kish reinforcements arriving from the Asiatic shore. So gallantly did the Australians press forward that despite the stubborn opposition of the Turkish garrison on the spot they quickly established a footing, and on the right flank actually gained a position overlooking the narrow straits at Ohanak. The reserves of the Turkish garrison detailed for defence of this zone coun-ter-attacked, but were driven back. They counter-attacked again. The issue trembled in the balance. It was at this crisis that Mustapha Kemal. in army reserve at Maidos, applied the Nelson touch which turned the scale. Immediately he heard that the enemy was assaulting the heights of Sari

Bair he recognised that this was no feint but a main attack. Appreciating in a flash the danger of this stroke, he at once telephoned to the Commander-in-Chief for perm.seion to throw his division into the fight. Von Sanders, still obsessed with tire idea that the main attack was coming at Bulair. refused this permission, but eventually sanctioned ihe detachment of one regiment only lo reinforce the trooos already engaged. Wiii at was the use of one regiment in such an emergency? To disobey the orders of the Gorman overlord was almost inconceivable, but Kemal was convinced that drastio action was required if the situation was to be saved. Like Velson of other days, therefore. lie turned his blind eye to the telescope and led his whole division in person against the Australian line. The invaders were driven !>aek behind the crest of the hill; invaluable time was given lo Liman von Sanders to bring up his remaining leseryes, and the chance of the Australians gaining their objective had gone, never again (as it turned out) to recur. Kemal’s quick grasp of the situation and his brilliant defiance of orders undoubtedly saved tho day for his side. Such is the man who to-day holds Europe s destiny in bis hands.”