TOO MANY HEADS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 9

TOO MANY HEADS.

GALLIPOLI FAILURE. Campaign Seen Through German Spectacles. A JOB FOR THE PROFESSIONAL. (Australian ana N.Z. Press Association.) (Received. 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 0. What Gallipoli looked like through German eyes is revealed in a book by Genera Kannengiesser, who served throughout and took an important part in the operations. It is translated by Major C. Ball, who, throughout the campaign, served "with the 29th Division.

• General Kannengiesser has no hesitation in ascribing the reasons for the Allied failure firstly to the manylicaded War Council in London.

Leadership in war, he says, cannot be entrusted to a limited liability company. Conversations, minutes and reports always preceded decisive meetings, which again postponed a vital decision. ' So valuable time was lost and at the front that moment was lost which contained the .possibility of success. While fully recognising the courage and excellent service of the overseas troops and territorials, the author says the English lacked ability to extract the utmost from their success. The men composing the units lacked systematic peace training, and consequently. did not know how to grip the victory that was so often near them. The author says that only a professional soldier can be expected to have that instinctive feeling which sometimes should be preferred to the rules of warfare. Success Thrown Away. General Kannengiesser expresses. the opinion that the long month between the opening of the cannonade from the fleet and the landing of the first British troops almost ruined the chances of success. The enemy had prepared feverishly and thoroughly. He dramatically describes the hardships that the antagonists jointly suffered under the blazing sun on the ban-en strip of land.

' Then in August, 1915, came the second landing and the 24-hour delay in pressing the surprised and unreinforced Turks. "During the whole day of August 0 the Goddess of victory held the door of success wide open for General Sir Frederick Stopford, but he. would not enter."

There was a moment when General Kannengiesser claims that he and a. staff officer stood on a vital ridge'overlooking Suvla Bay and saw British infantry only 500 yards away. Two men with revolvers were the sole opposition to occupation of the heights, yet the attack was delayed until the enemy was rushed up by forced marches and inexpugnably entrenched. .