DARDANELLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2457, 10 May 1915, Page 6

DARDANELLES

RECKLESS BRAVERY OF THE COLONIALS anotmt « dispatch WARSHIPS SHELLING LAST LINE OF DEFENCES BRITISH AT SEDD - EL BAHR ' . ATTACK COLONIALSSOO MUCH FOR THE TURK MORE ABOUT THE AMAZING INDIFFERENCE TO DANGER ,(Bgo. May 9, 10.15 a.m.) London, May 8.. • / Mr. lAskmead Bartlett, tie "Daily Ohronicle's" war correspondent, continuing his narrative, says"Throughout the night of April 26 the Turks harrassed our lines, creeping up and endeavouring to snipe the Australians and New Zealanders, who were in sheltered trenches, but never daring to press the attack, although they were in overwhelming numbers. "The Turks paid dearly for their temerity, one section of New Zealanders, charging with the bayonet, drove them off in. disorder. It was obvious, on the morning of April 27, that the Turks had not recovered from the I terrible hammering they received on April 26, for they had no stomach for 'another big attack. ' ' "The entrenchments are now firmly established in a semi-circle in front "<of the whole foreshore, which is being used for the disembarkation of troops, supplies, guns, and ammunition. The colonials' position, is also immeasur- : ably improved, by, the landing of field guns and several Indian .mountain .batteries. . ' ' . : . "The Turks evidently intended to drive the Australians and New Zea- . landers into the sea on April 26 by a great concentration of infantry. and . un- ; ceasing shrapnel fire, expecting to find tho line thinly held and the men. ;»hausted by their losses and exertions during the landing. They were soon disillusioned. These Australians were determined to die to a man rather than ,the ground they had so dearly won. Every man knew that his only "hope of safety lay in victory, as it was impossible to re-embark the army once' tho ring of hills commanding the beach was lost. . "Most troops when under fire for the first time, especially volunteers with a few months' training, keenly feel their losses at the beginning, especially if they occur before they'have had . time to settle down, but these colonials are the exoeption to the rule. Despite heavy losses the survivors were keen to get even with the enemy, and. throughout April 27 the Turks resorted to new tactics in .the hope of driving the colonials off the shore and preventing supplies and reaching the beach. r "The enemy,' on the night of April 26, brought up many field guns, with which he opened l a tremendous bombardment on the foreshore and sea, and kept up an incessant raiii of. shrapnel 011 the trenches, bnt could no longer enfilade the beach, as every attempt to place guns in position was immediately checked by a few well-aimed salvos from the warships. "The Turkish gunners tried to put a great curtain of shrapnel over the sea between the warships and .transports and the shore. It was an amazing sight to see scores of shells bursting and churning up the water like a great hailsorm. So.ne fell far out, others made a great danger zone through which the boats and-trawlers had to pass. This hail of lead did not make the slightest difference'to'tlie gallant crews on the pinnaces, boats, lighters, and tugs, and they took as much notice of it as if it were a tropical thunderstorm. Tho. spectaoular effect of the bombardment was magnificent, but, the damage was practically nil. : ■ ■' . . ■■;;. ; The Warships Busy. "The warships throughout the 27 th incessantly fired at any of the enemys' infantry attempting to advance. Hydroplanes did excellent work in directing the firs on guns inland. The ships' indirect firing is daily becoming more efficient, and is now-so accurate that nothing can live provided the target is accurately spotted. The Turks frequently fire heavy guns from the other side.of the peninsulaj hoping, to hole thei transports, but they hive not yet succeeded. If a Turkish warships in the Straits make an attempt a salvo from .the Allies' ships speedily forces her to" fly up channel. "The scene ashore is one of interest and activity. One lands in an avalanche of shrapnel, finds regiments waiting on. the beach before moving to the .trenches; fatigue parties are unloading boats and lighters, muleteers are endeavouring to drag field guns into position, Indians conveying mountain guns, dressing stations tending wounded, telegraph and telephone units laying wires. "Meanwhile the landing parties from the warships have been busy building bombproof shelters. Thousands of hardy New . Zealanders and Australians are concentrated on 1 the. Narrows 6hore, each engaged in some occupation, for as soon as he leaves for the front trenches he is required for fatigue. Pew have had more tlian a few hours' sleep for days past. The general staff officers fare no better than the men,. ■ • Their Cenoral's Praise. General Birdn'ood told' Mr. Bartlett that he could not sufficiently, praise the courage, endurance, and soldierly qualities of the colonials. The manner in which they hung on to their position day and night was magnificent, considering the heavy losses, the shortage of water, and the incessant shrapnel fire to which they wore exposed without cover, and also the enemy's incessant infantry attacks after they had retired to their contracted line. They sot their teeth and refused to budge a foot. "These colonials are extraordinarily good under lire, often exposing themselves rather than take the trouble to keep under the shelter of the cliff. One <if the strangest sights was to see a number bathing in the sea, with shrapnel bursting, all Tound them. This colonial colony is assuming definite form, the whole face of the cliff is being cut with roads, and with dugouts, and bombproof shelters, an improvised township is springing up as the troops slowly dig, themselves in and make thesmelves comfortable. The Deadly Sniper. "We are 'holding a semi-circular position, the trenches are well made, providing cover, but the slightest exposure is almost certain to result in a hit from a bullet. This iiiccssant sniping greatly puzzles tlie men in the trenches, and is a great problem at present. Apparently even when an advance post is thrown out the enemy's sharpshooters remain behind and snipe tlie unwary'volunteers who venture out nightly iu order to hunt the snipers. So far they have been unable to keep them under. '-- f "The cheerfulness of the men in. the trenches is most marked. They feel they have overcome the initial difficulties and have paved the way for success. They now occupy such a position, and are so thoroughly entrenched that all the Turks in Thrace and Gfallipoli can never turn them out. COLONIAL TROOPS CREATE A DIVERSION FIERCE FIGHT ON THE ASIATIC SIDE. Paris, May 7. Official.—On !Aj>ril 25 a regiment of colonial infantry with a battery of "seventy-fives," which was ordered to create a diversion on the Asiatic shore, landed at Kum Kalessi under the protection of the guns of the French ships. The disembarkation was carried out under good conditions. Tho force marched to Yeni Shehr, where a fierce fight began during the night, and was ■continued on the following day. The Turks, who were in greatly superior numbers, suffered heavily. Five Trandred were taken prisoner. The re-embarkation of the troops was effected on the night of Aprd 26. It was supported by. the warships. Meanwhile large forces had been landed on the Gallipoli Poninsula. HOW THE BRITISH CAPTURED FORT SEDD EL BAHR COUNTLESS DEEDS OF UTMOST BKAVERY. (Rec. Hay 9, 3.30 p.m.) London,. May 8. Router's correspondent reports that the British landing at Sedd el Bahr was of the bloodiest character. Tlie enemy's position was particularly strong. • The beaches were flanked by a fort 011 the right and a high cliff on the left. The landing parties encountered a terrific fire, and ran the gauntlet for two hundred vards. The survivors entrenched themselves in the sand, and remainedthere for the rest'of the day. There we're count ess deeds of the utmost bravery—of men bringing wounded, who-were struggling 111 the water, aoro!s

the beach into shelter. Soon there were hundreds of wounded lying at one point or another. A party landed at the eastern end of Sedd oi Bahr, and struggled up the cliff into the village, which was a jumble of broken, gaping ivalls. These afforded shelter to Turkish riflemen, and the British were compelled to withdraw. Meanwhile a force landed at Helles, earned the wire entanglements with the bayonets, end stormed the promontory. A magnificent infantry fight 011 tii© top of the plateau lasted till nightfall, when the Britishers reached the old fort on the ridge behind Sedd el Bahr beach, the remainder landing after dark. The enemy at midnight opened a terrific but harmless fire 011 the ships, whose guns had all day kept down the batteries' fire. The British shattered a strong attack, and during the night 011 the ridge above the beach at Cape Helles. At daybreak we occupied the whole of the seaward edge of the plateau. The Britishers displayed tho utmost coolness throughout, and overcame an awkward series of wire fences. The infantry on the crest advanced on the ridge, the troops on the beach stormed the long hill and joined their comrades 011 the ridge, and captured Sedd el Bahr, and also the'trenches on the top of the ridge. Many of tho enemy's dead, killed by the ships' fire, were found in the trenches. The French landed at night, and joined the British 011 tho ridge. WARSHIPS BOMBARDING ENEMY'S LAST LINE . (Rec. May 9, 4.30 D.ni.) Athens, May S. Mitylene reports that the fleet is bombarding the. Inst line of defence, especially at Nagara. . _ ) A German aeroplane bombed the Allies on the Peninsula, doing insignificant damage. Tho Allies are bombarding Smyrna.