THE DARDANELLES FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2505, 5 July 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES FIGHTING

TURKISH COUNTER-ATTACKS v ' GENERAL SIR lAN HAMILTON'S REPORT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Londsn, July 2. The Press Bureau states:—General Sir lan Hamilton reports that on the afternoon of June 29 hostile columns, moving west from the north of Achi Baba and south from Kilid Bahr towards tho Turkish right, indicated that the enemy was preparing a counter-attack on tho position captured on the 28th. During the evening two mine galleries in front of the right centre were blown ,in; afterwards the enemy subjected the trenches to two hours' heavy rifle, machine gun, and some artillery fire. After a lull, there was another outburst of fire. The Turks made a determined attack on our left with tho bayonet, which we repulsed with heavy' Turkish loss. The Turks on the southern front made a conccrted attack along the coast. but tils warship Wolverine got her searchlights and guns on the main body, and caused heavy loss. The eastern attack was pressed closer/under heavy artillery fire, but was finally checked forty yards from our parapet. Bomb attacks and intermittent shelling continued, but there was no i urthcr general attack. The French moved at 6.30 the next morning, and by 7.20 had captured a strong system of entrenchments immediately in front of the left centre of the line which they call the quadrilateral. The French bombardment drove out a number of Turks, and did much execution during their retreat. Subsequently the trenches prolonging the quadrilateral to the south were captured after more serious fighting, thus rounding off the gains the French made on the 21st. The enemy's losses wore everywhere .very considerable. The captured positions are being consolidated*TURKISH FORTRESS COMMUNICATIONS THREATENED. ("Times" and Sydney' "Sun"-Services.) London, July 2. Mr. Compton Mackenzie, war correspondent, cables from the Dardanelles that the Australians and tho New Zealanders made a lodgment in one of the strongest advanced works on the Kalid Bahr plateau. They threaten the communications of the fortress, and aro drawing against themselves a large part of the garrison. This is composed of the flower of the Turkish army. Though their casualties must already amount to seventy thousand, the Turks are fighting with the gallantry of desperation. They realise that when the bastion of Achi Baba falls, the occupation of Kilid Bahr pltteau becomes a mere-question of time. When Kilid Bahr falls the doom of Constantinople is at hand. In view of the difficulties confronting our' men, a gain of a. score of yards on Gallipoli fairly represents, for purposes of comparison, a gain of five hundred yards in the Western theatre.. Describing tho Turkish casualties, Mr. Mackenzie says that one trench, two hundred yards long by ten feet deep, was brimming over with dead. French officers who fought in the West say'that, as a fighting unit, one Turk is worth'two Germans. OPINION: OF AN OFFICER OF .THE MERCANTILE MARINE. Copenhagen, July 2. 'An officer of the mercantile marine who was recently at Constantinople states that the Turks were first under tho impression that the Allies had failed at tho Dardanelles. It was now manifest that they were slowly but surely gaining ground. His impression was.that the Turks could not bold out much longer, -and that the foreigners assisting in tho defence would have a terriblo time if Constantinople capitulates. , The Turkish population on Gallipoli was on the friendliest terms with the Allies, because they paid in gold, whereas the Germans paid in paper. The Allies point to becoming masters of the Sea ef Marmora. TURKISH' TRANSPORT SUNK BY, A" SUBMARINE, (Rec. July 4, 3.25 p.m.) London, July 3. 'A British submarine sank a steamer full of Turkish troops in the Sea of Marmora. RUSSIAN SUBMARINE ACTIVE IN THE BLACK SEA\ (Reo. July. 4, 3.25 p.m.) Petrograd, July 3. Official. —A Russian submarine sank two steamers and a largo sailer in tho Black Sea, and drove a number of s mall vessels ashore, GERMAN SUBMARINES IN TURKISH .WATERS, (Reo. 'July 5, 0.5 a.m.), Athens, July 3. Tlioro are three German submarines at the Golden Horn,