GENERAL ASSAULT ON TURKISH POSITIONS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2481, 7 June 1915, Page 5

GENERAL ASSAULT ON TURKISH POSITIONS

VICTORY FOR THE AUSTRALASIANS HEIGHTS OF KRITHIA TAKEN AFTER A VIOLENT BATTLE (By Telegraph—Press 'Assn.—Copyright.) .(Rec* Juno 6, 2 p.m.) begun. COmblned general a3Sault on tic Turkish positions has High Commissioner's message:- L ° nd ° n ' June 6 > 515 & ' m " b T +£/ Ath j 6n v say 2 P , atr 'l 3 enounces that a, victor was obtained alter a llcnt battlc lastog tS'hour"' " the MgttS ° f KrftUa AUSTRALASIANS INFLICT HEAVY PUNISHMENT. (Rec. June 6, 2.15 p.m.) , e MrticiJarly distinguished themselves. in "tLfTghting for the be'Rhts of Knthia. The Turkish casualties were ton thousand. The Xurics obtained a twelve Lours armistice to bury their dead*. TURKS FORCED TO ABANDON THE KRITHIA SUMMITS. (Rec. June 7, 0.10 a.m.) rrn m ■ >. , . Athens. June 6. the lurks on Monday vigorously attacked the Australians and New Zealanders on the heights of Knthia, and there was a violent- battle, which lasted twelve hours. After the Australian and New Zealanders' counter-attack the lurks abandoned tlie summit. The Australasians' victory consolidated tho Allies position on the peninsula. OFFICIAL REPORT FROM GENERAL SIR lAN HAMILTON FIGHTING IN THE DAEDANELLES ON THURSDAY: AND FRIDAY. The Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, has received the following message trom Sir lan Hamilton, in command of the operations at the Dardanelles :— ~ . Tenedos, June 5, 3.50 p.m. c , xl t? night of June 34 the Turks, having heavily bombarded the small fort the French had captured in front of their extreme right and breached it tho JN.E. angle launched an infantry attack against it which was repulsed. About the same time they set fire to tho scrub in front of the leftcentre of the 29th Division, and attacked, but without success. On the morning of the 4th instant 1 made a general attack' on tho Turkish trenches m the southern area of the Peninsula, commencing : frith a heavv bombardment by all guns, including tw 0 battleships, 2 cruisers, and several destroyers, with four-inch guns. On tho cessation of the bombardment the troops rushed forward with the bayonet and were immediately . successful all along the line, except in ono spot near tho left, where heavjr.'entanglementshad not been destroyed by gun-fire. The 6th Ghurkas, on tho extreme loft, made a fine advanced and took two lines of trenches, but owing to the regiment on their right being hung up bv this wiro, they were eventually obliged 'to retire again to their original trenches. ■ " ■ The 29th Division made good progress in the left centre, capturing a strong redoubt and two linos of trenches beyond it, about 500 yards in advance of their original line. The Territorials in the centre did brilliantlyadvancing 600 yards, capturing three lines of trenches, but though the most advanced captured trench was held all day, and half the night, they had to be ordered back in tho morning to the second captured line, as both their flanks were exposed. The Naval Division, on the right contre captured a redoubt and a formidable line of trenches constructed in three tiers some 300 yards to their front, but were so heavily enfiladed' when the French retired that they also had to come hack to their original line. , The French 2nd Division advanced with gallantry and elan, and retook for the fourth time tliat deadly redoubt they call "The Haricot." Unfortunately the Turks developed heavy counter-attacks through prepared communication trenches and under cover of accurate shell _ fire, and were able to. recapture it. On the extreme right of the' French lino the French Division captured a line of trenches, which, though counter-attacked twice during tho night, they still hold. I have not yet heard details of the casualties, but am afraid they are considerable. "Wo, captured 400 prisoners, including ten officers. 'Ainongst the prisoners were five Germans, the remains of a volunteer machine-gun detachment from the Goeben, whoso officer was killed and the machine-gun destroyed. During the progress of the fight I received information from Anzac that enemy reinforcements had been seen advancing from Maidos towards Krithia, consequently General Birdwood arranged to attack the trenches in front of Qninn's Post at 10 p.m., which attack was successfully carried'out, and the trenches held during tho night. Turkish casualties were heavy. At 6.30 a.m., however, the enemy heavily counter-attacked, and bombed our men out of the captured trench, with a new heavy description bomb, though we still hold the communicating trenches which had been constructed during the night. To sum up a good advance of at least 500 yards, including two lines of Turkish 1 trenches, has been made along a front of nearly three miles in the centre of our southern section, but we are back to iur original right and left. We nre making fresh efforts now to advance the left to bring it up into line with the centre, though the Turkish position here is extraordinarily strong, naturally, with a deep ravine on one side and tho sea in tho-other.. TURKISH SNIPERS CONTINUALLY AT WORK. (Rec. June 6, 4 p.m.) Tenedos, June 5. Night attacks on the 'Australasian trenches continue, but in the daytime, apart from shrapnel, the enemy's main aotivity_ is confined to cleverly-con-oealed snipers. The Australians' position is impregnable. They have dug themselves in much against their own inclination, but have. resigned themselves to trench warfare. The enemy maintains at night time a constant and aimless fusillade, the intention presumably being to forestall any advance on onr part. Parties of snipers crawl past the British and French lines and hide in trees or empty trenches, snipe at isolated officers, and rob them. Some wero caught . with their pockets full of British and French money. ZOUAVES KILLED BY AEROPLANE BOMBS. London, June 4. 'A Mitylene report states that a German aeroplane dropped bombs on Murdros Island and that 18 Zouaves were killed or wounded. Die Allies' reinforcements continued to disembark on the Peninsula. BULGARIA MASSING TROOPS ON TURKISH FRONTIER. Athens, June 4. The News that Bulgaria has concentrated an army on the frontier is causing grave anxiety in Constantinople. Reinforcements have been sent to Adrianopla and Kirk Killisse. THE CAMPAIGN 'AGAINST THE TURKS IN 'ASIA MINOR. Petrograd, June 4. Official: In. the Caucasus our troops pursued tho Turks from Manghelw and reached tho villages of Bakow and Zaklia, whence wo repulsed them to the west and south.