UP THE RIDGES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144783, 13 September 1915, Page 5

UP THE RIDGES.

HOW AUSTRALIANS FOUGHT. SPLENDID STORY OF SUVLA. LONDON, August 31. A medical officer, who saw the landing at Snvla Bay, says;— “On August 6 at Muiiros Harbour there were nine British and two French hospital ships, with others in readiness. The shore was covered with hospital tents, with accommodation for 12,000 eases, including the Australian hospital of 1000 beds, fitted out to tho last detail. “That night we got under way, steaming out in single line, with our-green lamps and Red Crosses all lit up, reaching Gaba Tepo* at dawn opposite the spot where tho Australians first landed. Close by were other hospital ships and any number of drifters and trawlers. At the beach itself wo dimly saw the troops who had , landed from specially-made lighters. “As the dawn, brightened we saw away in the east a number of transports and warships standing off Anafarta.Bay and landing troops in (masses. Directly in front of us the Australians were very busy. They had made good use of their three months at this point. The .whole face of the cliff had been zigzagged with roads and pitted with innumerable dug-outs. GREAT BAYONET CHARGE. “From the landing place to Gaba Tepe on their right they seemed to complete a procession up the steep cliffs. We saw their trenches and dugouts right on the summit. On the left the ground rose less steeply to a height of 950 ft. Hill 950 was evidently one of tho main objectives of the attacki , “At the base, in a Y-shaped gully,' were masses of men and horses. Shortly after 6.30 o’clock some of these deployed to the east. At about 8 o’clock we witnessed a splendid bayonet charge along the stubbly ground between the sea and) a low ridge running parallel about half a mile inland. The troops engaged in the charge pressed on and disappeared among the trees into the enemy's trenches, which) they had taken, not without losses, for soon stretcher parties were dotted-all over the ground slowly making their way to the Loot of the ridge, where a dressing station hadbeen opened. SHELLING THE AUSTRALIANS. ‘ ‘While this 1 was. happening -the troops pressed .on, and wore next seen ascending the slope'of a ridge running at right angles to the previous one. We could see them creeping to the top and massing there under the shelter of a fine bombai-dment, which -was now progress-" ing on tho centre and right, with big shells falling on Hill 900. Towards these slopes parties* of Australians were working their way up through the gullies and bushes and along the top. The Australians on the right of the ridge were having some .fierce fighting also, with a continuous rattle of rifle-fire, and our shells exploding just beyond the summit, while the. enemy’s shells were exploding in thp Australian camp, half-way up the hillside. “To the right »of the Australians an Indian mountain was busy firing. All da}"the heavy firing weat'on, and at one time the Australians on a plateau half-way to the summit were sorely troubled»by the shrapnel fire, the shells bursting every few seconds, from guns situated at. the .top of thodrill'towards the left. They were firing obliquely over our line of advance, up “one of the buttresses of which a little. plateau formed part. WARSHIPS GET TO WORK. “It seemed ages before our ships spotted' the guns, a cruiser, steamed to a suitable spot and sot to work. It was exciting.* to hear, her big guns crashing, and the ' shells whistling as they passed. Then a column of white smoke would burst, rising in clouds from thp hills, nearer and nearer to the enemy’s battery, -and, at last, falling right on the spot from -where the flashes came. We felt sure that the enemy’s guns had been -sljonced, but two hours later they restarted. “Then our ships became really angry, and rained shells by the half-dozen, searching, out every yard of the hill-top. *We.saw a few Turks running from tho ■spot. . • “The guns were silenced for the rest of the day, and by night more than one ship of British and Australian wounded bad been filled up and gone off. Tlie wounded told ms that many Turks had been killed and-taken prisoners in,-the morning attack. FOUR LINES -OF- TRENCHES. “By evening tho Australians on the right had gone over their ridge, and had taken four successive lines of Turkish trenches, and were well inland. On Hill 950 Australians crept up threeparts of the way; and were still advancing when darkness blotted out the view. , “The. hospital ships had a heavy time on Sunday. There were 300 'wounded and 3000 unwouuded and prisonered Turks on the beach. Patients brought in tho cheering news that six more trenches had been taken. “On Sunday also it ( was found that the enemy’s guns on the ridge were still intact, and it was determined to take them by assault. The troops were right up to the top of the hill, but,-never-theless, on Monday the enemy still held the guns. We left on Monday morn- 1 ing.” ■ . ' * ■