KILID BAHR DESTROYED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2468, 22 May 1915, Page 6

KILID BAHR DESTROYED

REPORTED OCCUPATION OF MAIDOS GARRISONS ISOLATED GENERAL BRIDGES DIES AT SEA (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright) Athens, May. 21. Mitylene reports that the destruction of Kilid Bahr is confirmed. The JSfimbardment of Nagara continues day and night, damage being done. _ It is rumoured that Maidos was occupied after a violent action. British aeroplanes bombed the town of Gallipoli, and caused a fire. It is understood that all tho Asiatic forts on the Dardanelles have been silenced. Callant Attacks on Tuesday. Troops advancing from Gaba Tepe carried out gallant attacks on Tuesdayattacks that were generally crowned with success. _ The Turkish losses were heavy, and many were made prisoner. The Allies have consolidated the captured positions, and continuo to attack. The fighting at Krithia continues. Tho British are advancing behind the Turks' stronghold, and threatening to envelop the enemy. • The Australians continue to make progress _at Hazmak and Achi Baba. Tuesday's success was the greater because it prevents the Turkj from operating at Maidos and Kilid Bahr, and communicating with the rest of their forces on Gallipoli. The fleet greatly assisted the infantry, under the direction of aeroplanes. BOMBARDMENT IN THE GULF OP SMYRNA. ' (Reo. May 22, 0.50 a.m.) Athens, May 21. Tho 'Allies' warships have bombarded the Turkish encampments in the Gulf of Smyrna. A British destroyer bombarded and destroyed the palace, barracks, and telegraphic apparatus at Karabonmon. Tho Turks fired at the destroyer without result. MASSACRES OF BRITISH AND SENEGALESE PRISONERS Athens, May 20. The report regarding the continuous massacre of British and Senegalese prisoners by tho Turks is confirmed. . POST-MORTEM MUTILATIONS BY THE TURKS. London, May 20. 'A; doctor writes from tie Dardanelles that ho has heard of no ante-mortem mutilations by the Turks, but that there were many post-mortem mutilations. , TURKS COMPLETELY BOTTLED-UP " BULAIR LINES AT THE MERCY OF THE FLEET. London, May 20, _ "The Times" correspondent at the Dardanelles reports that tho Bulair lines, situated.cn the bottle-neck of the peninsula, are .it .the mercy of the fleet. "It is still possible for the Turks to ferry reinforyements across the Straits, but since the battleship Queen Elizabeth sank a transport thus engaged this can only be regarded as a dangerous line of communication. : "The fighting on Gallipoli is therefore desperate; the Turks have their backs to the wall, and the chances of the garrison escaping are problematical. They are. cramped on a narrow tongue of land, and the fleet's guns_ are able to play almost all round their positions, assisted by a strong, determined, and-firmly-established land force." —"Times" and. Sydney "Sun" Services.

DEATH OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMMANDER ' 'ANNOUNCED IN THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT. Melbourne, May 21. In the House at a late hour the Prime Minister (Mr. Andrew Fisher) announced that Brigadier-General Bridges (Commander of the Australian Forces) had' succumbed to his wounds. Mr. Fisher, Mr. J. Cook (Leader of the Opposition), and Senator Pearce (Minister for Defence) paid high' tributes tohis memory both as a man and a soldier. A resolution was adopted expressing the deep sens© of the loss the Commonwealth had sustained, and placing on record its appreciation of his great services in the development of Australia's defence scheme; admiration of his organisation and leadership of the forces in the Dardanelles; and tender'ing respectful sympathy to the family of the distinguished officer. New Commander Leaves for the Front. Senator Pearce announced in the Senate that Colonel Legge had left 'Australia the previous day to> take up his duties. It was a gratifying fact that the command would remain in the hands of an Australian officer. He was unable to say who was commanding tho forces in the meantime. The new commander has seen lengthy military service. He served in the South African War in command of the Australian Infantry, and later was military secretary to the Board of Military Administration. At the time of iis Dardanelles appointment he was Chief of the Commonwealth General Staff. (Rec. May 21, 8.30 p.m.) Sydney, May 21. Brigadier-General Bridges was buried in Alexandria. (Rec. May 21, 9.50 p.m.)' • _ Cairo, May 21. The burial of General Bridges at 'Alexandria was a- quiet but impressive Service. General Sir John Maxwell (Commander-in-Chief in Egypt) was present- ... . GENERAL'S DEATH AVENGED BY A BRILLIANT ACTION Melbourne, May 21. Sir lan Hamilton has cabled to Sir Munro Ferguson, Governor-General of the Commonwealth: "General Bridges died on the passage to Alexandria. The whole force mourns the irreparable loss, which was avenged yesterday in a brilliant action by our troops, who inflicted a loss of 7000 on tho enemy at a cost of. less than 500 to themselves." AUSTRALIA'S LOST SUBMARINE AE2. London, May 20. The "Pall Mall Gazette," commenting on the loss of the Australian submarine AE2, says: "No incident more pointedly exemplifies Australia's thoroughness in connection with tho war than the dispatch of this vessel across half the world."