GALLIPOLI

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7917, 11 August 1917, Page 1

GALLIPOLI

ANNIVERSARY OF THE NARROWS. Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the final British offensive on Gallipoli, the attack on Sari Bair, and our landing at Suvla Bay in an attempt to gain Maidos, on the inner coast of the Gallipoli Peninsula, and thus control the Dardanelles. General Sir lan Hamilton had only sufficient munitions for one offensive on a large scale, and the blow was delivered at three points—Cape Helles as a covering operation, Anzac Cove to clear Sari Bair, and Suvla Bay as a surprise attack to take the foe in the rear and clear the way to the Narrows. On August 6th the Anzacs launched an attack on Lone Pine and other points, the fighting continuing over the 7th and Bth, and dying away on the 9th, with varying success, but with the ultimate result of attracting such large enemy reserves to the position that further progress was impossible. The attack on Sari Bair was delivered on August 6th by the New Zealand and Australian Division, the Twenty-ninth Indian Brigade, and the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Brigades of the Thirteenth Division.

The heights were scaled and the pleateau carried by midnight by Bri-gadier-General Russell’s New Zealanders, who used only the bomb and the bayonet. Then the assaulting columns under Generals Johnston and Cox took up the running, but found great difficulties, and by noon on the 7th it was seen that they had shot their bolt. At night they were distributed for a fresli attack, and at 4 a.m on August Bth they won the Chunuk Bair Hill, holding on till practically every officer had fallen. Nevertheless a new attack was organised on the 9th, the New Zealanders again being in the van, but though they reached the top and actually viewed the waters of the Hellespont they could not hold on without adequate reserves, and they were compelled to fall back. The Suvla Bay enterprise failed, the Tutks, surprised at first* reinforcing before any considerable advance was made. Thus the net result of the three days’ operations was nil. It was decided a month later to evacuate the peninsula, and by January 10th the whole force had successfully embarked.