NEW ZEALANDERS IN A WILD CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2466, 20 May 1915, Page 6

NEW ZEALANDERS IN A WILD CHARGE

FURIOUS BATTLE I GALLIPOLI THREE DAYS' HOT FIGHTING TERRIFIC TORNADO OF SHELL FIRE (By Telegraph—Press lean.—Copyright.) (Reo. May 19. 9:40 p.m.) '' • Londorii May 10. ' Mr. A'shmead Bartlett (the English war correspondent), in a dispatch . Hesoribing the operations in the Dardanelles, writes:— _ ... "The Englisn and French reinforcements arrived on May 6. menced one of the most' remarkable battles which hav© ever been fought. Almost every detail could he followed with the naked eye. The battle was or the old-fashioned type; being chiefly conducted by the commanders—from what ,we could see with our own eyes—apart from field telegraphs and telephones. • "The eventual objective is the possession of Achi Baba, and thehrst step was to get possession of the two great arms of Achi Baba, stretching towards the Gulf of Saros and the Dardanelles Strait. A perfect view of tho battle was obtained from a hill six miles distant. _ The Allied armios are practically fighting for the side of a rhomboid, culminating in the peak ot Achi Baba. The other two sides were already in our possession, and covered by "Tho enemy's snipers occupied rugged scrub-covered ground/and had to 'he hunted out man by man. Ravines, low hills, and dead ground ofierca even' kind of concealment for the enemy, who had constructed endless trenches, which were only located with extreme difficulty, while machine-guns were concealed with masterful skill. , ' Disposition of the Troops. "The British left, including the 'Australians and New Zealanders, rested bn the Gulf of Saros, and the French right on the Dardanelles, with our warships on either flank, sweeping every yard of the enemy's positions. ■ "Not a sign of the Turks was visible. Nothing is more remarkable than the wav in which the Turks dug themselves in. A deadly stillness prevailed, broken-by the occasional bursting of shrapnel. . "The Australians and New Zealanuers were field in reserve-behind the Indian Brigade. The immediate British objective was to push the left wing forward, and at the same time endeavour to occupy Krithia and the ridge whereon it stands; the 'French objective was to advance up the spurs and get astride the Maidos Road, at the same time advancing into the valley of the ■Kerivea River. s . , . "The first day's fighting was almost entirely confined to the right wing. It was necessary to get a good footing on the right, otherwise the British ad.vance could have been enfiladed, it 11 o'clock the French 'seventy-fives jo and at Sedd ul Bahr began a fierce and sustained bombardment, which lasted half an hour, and at the same time our battleships turned their big guns s»n the upper slopes of Achi Baba and the trenches in the Kereves Valley. Senegalese Attack the Slopes. "At half-past eleven the Senegalese troops left their trenches and swept forward in open order up the mountain, making steady progress, our artillery covering them beautifully, bursting its shrapnel fifty yards ahead of the firingHue. . "When the infantry topped the slope they met with strenuous resistance, and their advance was checked. The ships' guns and the French 'seventy- ■ fives' pounded shell and shrapnel vainly into the Turks, whose fire was unchecked. and the Senegalese repeatedly swept forward, only to break before the storm. The fighting ebbed and flowed all day. Our guns could not inflict much damage to the enemy's trenches, which were eight feet deep, and extremely narrow. _ _ "Although th,e French did not succeed in getting astride the Maulos Road, they made good progress, and obtained a footing in the Keroves Valley. ' "On May 7 our ships furiously bombarded the enemy, sweeping the broken country slopes leading io Krithia, the shrubs, and the ravines with yellow, bursting lyddite. It seemed impossible that anything could live in that fi» zone. . .. "After fifteen minutes of this, our left made a general advance, and the 87tK and 88th Brigades pressed towards the Krithia R-oad. They had no sooner left the trenches than the Turks opened a-tremendous fire from a ooncealed position. The advance was continued,' and several trenches were captured. "The enemy's field-guns concentrated their fire on our reserves. One of ' Vfcut.Tegiments iiot too far forward, and was compelled to retire under a hail. . ... French Under a Withering Hall. • "The fire then died down. Early in the afternoon the French opened a furious bombardment, aaid then advanced, gaining considerable ground. The ,Turks brought many of their guns to bear against the French, and shelled the <round behind, to prevent their reserves from coming up. The French lines wavered, broke, and swept down tlie slope under the unbearable fire. "The French reserves gallantly counter-attacked, re-occupied the abandoned trenches, and held them tenaciously throughout the night under a heavy fire. "Meanwhile the British concentrated their artillery on Krithia, and the Infantry pressed forward under a furious machine-gun fire, and occupied a immber of ravines. Our extreme left made a sjveeoing movement towards Hill 400. behind Krithia, and were met by a tremendous shrapnel fire. The ■shells burst right over our men, and whole companies disappeared in clouds of earth and sand; But the line never wavered. It advanced, losing heavily As the enemy's aim was high, most of the wounds were slight. ! ' ' "Darkness stopped the fight within eight hundred yards of Kritliia. The Turks had fought with extreme braverv and determination, whilst their 'handling of their artillery was masterly. Battle Grows Fiercer and Fiercer. "The battle was resumed on May 8. with greater violence. The Fleet shelled tho ground-behind Krithia, and the British infantry, loft and centre, 'advaiiocd under a "svithorinc; outburst. Both brigades dopgealj faced it. They ' were sometimes driven back, hut eventually got into a position to make the 'final assault possible. . "Tho New Zealanders moved forward with the Australians on the Irtt,. Wo had a full view over the whole battlefield, and while the lines straightened, the position of the units were ascertained, to enable the ships to gauge tlm jange. At a quarter-past five every ship and every shore battery had opened • a stupendous fire. The hills were covered with immense clouds of yellow smoke. It was a magnificent spectacle. The noise was frightful. Thousands of bursting projectiles—volcanoes—bursting everywhere. ... It looked as if the . irliolo country y;as on fire; ' The Final Charge—The New Zealanders In the Van. "The bombardment lasted fifteen minutes. Then the infantry leaped from 'the trenches and dashed towards Krithia. The French similarly dashed towards the Maidos Road, met by a murderous Turkish fire.' "The New Zealanders hurried forward in a solid phalanx, joined by many 'of the 88th Brigade, in a mad charge. At last they bayoneted all in the first Turkish trench, and then passed over the broken ground, shooting and stabbing, many of them falling before the terrible fusillade. But not a soul turned back. Facing the Deadly Hall "On the right, the Australians, with Nott Zealanders, advanced over . coverless ground, facing , a tornado of bullets, and being enfiladed by machineguns from the right, which our artillery was unable to repress. The manner in Tvhich the Australians and New Zealanders went forward will never be forgotten by those witnessing the advance. They moved as steadily as if on parade, Sometimes doubling, sometimes walking. They melted away under the "dreadful fusillade, but the reserves filled the gaps. "A point was reached beyond which it was impossible to advance, so they 'lay down and attempted to reply to the enemy's concealed fire. They entrenched themselves where they lay. "It was obvious that Krithia could not be taken by direct assault. The ■French, carried out desperate bayonet charges in the darkness, which ended in conflict, but the end was not achieved, though some ground was gained." WOUNDED CHEERED AT MALTA. (Rec. May 19, 11.45 p.m.) Malta,. May 19. Unprecedented enthusiasm marked the arrival of the Australian and New Zealand wounded. The majority were only slightly wounded, and responded yigorously.

NEW CASUALTY LIST TETAL TO DATE 1334 Fresh casualties were reported from 'Egypt yesterday. A few names filtered through during the morning, but ait a late lour last night the usual heavy list made its appearance. YESTERDAY'S LIST. Killed and Died of Wounds. IfeiL, Auckland Infantry 3 Canterbury Infantry 2 OtaM Infantry 1 Wellington Infantry 1 7 • Wounded. Men. Wellingtoa Infantry 2 Auckland Infantry 45 Ofcago Infantry 5 52 .TOTAL CASUALTIES REPORTED, 1334. KILLED AND~DIED OF WOUNDS. Officers. Men. Wellington Infantry 6 13 Auckland Infantry, 10 11

Canterbury Infantry 7 5 Otago Infantry 3 80 N.Z. Engineers — 3 20 63 Wounded. Officers. Men. Wellington Infantry IX 255 Auckland Infantry 19 382 Canterbury Infantry 11 202 Otago Infantry IS 303 Engineers 2 20 Artillery ~~ ® Field Ambulance — * Divisional Signallers — 1 N.Z. Staff J ~ Headquarters' Division .... 1 — Army Seryico Corps — 3 G1 1179 Total, 1334. KILLED IN ACTION CANTERBURY INFANTRY BATTALION WATSON'. Pte. Arthur (No. funTl); born at Recfton in 1891. printer. Next-of-kin, Mr. .fames Watson, Aleiandcr Street Greymouth. Killed on April ■