REPORT OF OPERATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13700, 2 June 1915, Page 3

REPORT OF OPERATIONS.

WELLINGTON, last . night. The Minister for Defence has received, through his Excellency the Governor, the following cable message' from the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr A. Bonar Law):— ' '"..' ! Regarding operations m the Dardanelles : — * -. '

On the 26th and 27th May nothing of importance occurred. , On the 28th. May we detected the engineers of the enemy working 1 under one of our posts. We exploded a counter-mftie, which ,wae very successful. The same evening, the Turks effected a lodgment m these vacant trenches. Our troops counterattacked •with, the bayonet and recaptured the firing line trenches, whereupon the Turks m the support trenches euxrendered. Whilst this was going on, heavy columns of the enemy advanced to make good the temporary local success. They were visible m the bright moonlight to our gunners, and these were able to bring a crossfire at accurate and known ranges, the consequence .being that tho Turkish.' advance became demoralised and their second line of bomb-throwers flung 1111881168 into 'their front line, completing the rout. \ ', ( Hfte enemy's casualties were at' least' 2000, whereas ours were 300. Oh the night of the 29th May the Turks twice attacked the new post we. had won the night before, but withonl making any impression.' On the night of the 28th May the French. Army captured an- important redoubt on the extreme left of the Turkish line and consolidated the ground captured. .■ •> •■■''■ On the night of the 29th the Turks fired heavily on the new position, but did not advanco to attack it, being checked by artillery fire. They attacked the left flank of one of the French divisions, but were bdaten back.*