THE FIGHTING IN THE DARDANELLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2558, 4 September 1915, Page 5

THE FIGHTING IN THE DARDANELLES

GOOD WORK BY GOLOiALS DESPERATE EFFORTS TO CAPTURE SARI BAIR '* *' 'r- ■' '■ . ' ' r ■ By Tdezraph—Press Association—Copyright . .. _ London, September 2. ' Mr. 'Ashmead Bartlett, the war correspondent, in a report dated August 19, says:—Since : the greatest battle on Gallipoli closed''on the 10th;. both armies have been busy consolidating their positions,' replenishing their ammunition, and. reorganising tha uuits who had become intermingled in tho rugged mountainous country. I visited the ground where the Australian and New Zealand Corps advanced. , They made desperate efforts for four days to reach 1 ' the r crest of' Sari Bair, a commanding ridge giving access to the highest peaknamely, Coja Chemeir—which is torn'asunder by a giant ravine. '.The-New;Zealand Infantry.Brigade, the Gurkhas, and other battalions al-' most>eached'their objective, hut were unable to hold it, through 110. fault of their;.o\Vn; A; battalion of Gurkhas actually reached'the crest of the plateau, but at .the same moment tho Turks, taking advantage of the confusion, counter- ' attacked in great force,, and drove back tho Gurkhas to tho lower spurs. Survivdbi who/obtained views of the promised land described'the waters of the. Dardanelles as: lying beneath, with a Turkish transport steaniing southward, They also looked down at the Narrows at Kilid-Balir. . : A Feat of Arms Almost without Parallel, ..'••".'..it; was".a-bitter- disappointment relinquishing the crest when it was al-■ ■ most* within our grasp after so many months, but there was 110 alternative.'lie "Australians, and New Zealanders fought like lions and accomplished a feat'of-arms almost without parallel in climbing those heights, although handicapped'by the failure of another corps to make good its positions on the Anafarta. Hills further north for tho • purpose.of checking the enemy's sheMre. - When the details of these complicated operations sifted they will form one of tho'most' fascinating pages of tho war's history. It-was a combat of giants in giant county, tho outstanding fact of which was marvellous'hardihood, tenacity, and reckless courage.. _ The Australians and' Nqw Zealanders■ will not forget-'the.part played by a division of'.tho new. English arjnyl -. --.• ■ . . '' • . . Unaccustomed to the novel conditions or mountain warfare,-unacelimatisod, and marchiiig and. fighting and ■climbing in the heat for hours without water, ' these men nobly; supported'tho colonials and suffered heavy losses unflinchingly; - - The Maoris-Prepare the Way for the Advanoe, The Maoris skilfully crept forward over : the broken ground, cutting the wires and preparing tlio<jva'y for the advance. _In order to enable the forces detailed for the ihain-movement, which hatl as its ultimate object the occupation of Sari Bait* from Cliumik Bair to Coja Clieincn, it was necessary to atI tract the enemy's attention towa-rds the < south, and force him to keep his troops'iii front of our lines while our main forces flcbouched from Anzac. ' This .was the.reasbn of the Australian advance on August 6, tho desperate attack on tho Lonesome Pino Plateau, fourteen hundred feet high, which-is of great stratcgic/ 'impprtanco, opening-. lip the main line of communication between Anzac and the Kilid Balir Plateau. • . Further south'; the Turks 'fortified carefully a veritablo fortress of trenches, roofed with huge pine, logs, railway sleepers, and immense teaJc planks, earthcovered, making.', the trenches impervious to shell, except from heavy, howitzers. / Australians Assault With the Fury of Fanatics, The'assault on the 6th was preceded by fifteen minutes' furious bombardment,, with little effect, the' Turks being safely dug in. Therefore, the forcing of tho position devolved on the infantry. . .. . ■ -VThe Australians rushed forward to the' assault with the fury of-fanatics, little heeding',the tremendous shrapnel fire and enfilading rifle fire.;' .. *fhe .grcat'difOculty was to force a way to the trenches. It was a mighty physical effort to move obstructions. Groups effected an entrance at various points and jumped in. ■■ , The Turljs Were Caught In a Trap, The Turks were caught in a'trap. Some surrendered,' but tho major number chose to die. ' Fighting a desperate hand-to-hand-fight for ovory trench and dug-out, four trench lines were captured in succession, additional infantry pouring in as the advancing lines were thinned by casualties. Bombs played an important role, the Australians being only able to hold the position through an unceasing supply.. Both Sides Showed an Utter Disregard for Life. .'■The Turks massed their'forces and counter : attackcd desperately for three days and nights. ' They frequently retook sections, only, to bo again driven out. The extraordinary struggle was almost entirely underground, botli sides showing an utter disregard for life. Tho wounded and dead choked the trenches almost to tho top, and survivors carried on tho' fight over heaps of corpses.. Despite the most determined courage of the reinforced Turks, tho Australians held their ground, finally t' l " wearied of tho struggle. Tho trenches-arc now merely battered shames- Tho removal of the dead and wounded occupied ,-da.vs; tho bodies of a thousand Turks and colonials wore, removed from the trenches, and thcro aro hundreds more outside, Tho Turkish losses in this scc.tiou alone arc ut 0000..; chiefly ittcurica-iu -cpuutciv"Ufcacks. :

The Most Desperate Hand-to-Hand Fighting. Although the capture of Lonesome Pine Plateau was the most desperate hand-to-hand light yet seen on the Peninsula, it; was merely a diversion and preliminary to the main movement northwards, which commenced the samo evening, under cover of darkness. There was no finer feat in the whole history of the war than tho manner in which the troops destined for tho main movement against Sari Bair deployed for tho attack. • A' direct attack was not attempted, as it would have entailed immense losses, and probably failure because the Turks were posted on 'the hills surrounding Anzac, and held.tho inner position in a vice. Therefore only attacks were from Lonesome Pine Plateau and sorties from Quinn's Post, Russell's Top, and Pope's Post, north-eastward, of Anzac, in order to hold the enemy in tho trendies. . . ... Australians' Most Advanced Outpost. '1 he Australians' most advanced outpost was beyond tho fisherman's hut, the intervening gap of flat ground being connected by a wide sap which it was rmpossiblo to cross in daylight. Millions of rounds of ammunition and thousands of shells were carried to the advanced posts along this sap in TTv; daytime, or along tho beach in the night time. This operation, together with tho arrival °f strong Australian reinforcements, was kept a profound secret. Before the Australians could deploy ovor a wide front on tho spurs of tho ravines giving access to Sari Bair it was necessary to take a number of outlying posts. This involved a preliminary move du'o: liortli over broken ground 111 total darkness, then to wheel due cast for the purpose of assaulting the main ridge. . , i 0 ? 1 P rev j°. us nights, the warships, using their searchlights, bombarded the Turkish positions. The lurks did not suspect an infantry attack, and when the searchlights were playing on another position the Australians dashed lorwai'd, capturing a succession of outposts. At daybreak the-wliole force Tin n i?, v ' n =i towards tho main Sari Bair position in the face of great difficulties. Ihey wero , harassed .by snipers, and checked by the difficulties ot the ground and the scarcity of water. . ' New Zealanders Hold the Rhododendron Spur, 'At dawn on August 7 the left of our lino bad reached tho Asmadere position. Tho Indians bad advanced a long way towards Chunuk Bair, and reached a farm, 'whilst the New. Zealanders were on Rhododendron spur ridge. It was. decided to postpone a further advance until nightfall. Turkish snipers wcro.everywhere, and harassed tho lines throughout tho day. The advance was resumed at 4 o'clock in the morning of the Bth. Tho Australians on the left advanced from Asmadere to Abdel Rahmahair,' from whenco it was hoped tliey could wheel to the right and attack Koja Cliemen. Little or no progress .was possiblo in this attack, as the Turks were in great strength, and at one time threatened to, surround tbe force, which had to withdraw to its'original position at Asmadere, where it held out all day loner against determined attacks throughout, the day and night. Tho Now Zealanders although thoroughly .exhausted,, maintained their hold at. Chunuk Bair, and two other regiments relieved them. , 1 The Turks Make a Suecesaful Counter-Attack. .» During the night tho Turks were strongly reinforced, and desperately attacked at dawn on the 10th from Chunuk Bair and Hill Q, hurling themselves regardless of, their lives' against the two regiments, who desperately resisted, but were drivou by artillery fire and sheer weight of numbers further down the slope.. The Turks following up their success charged right over tho crest towards the gully southward of Rhododendron Ridge, with a view of penetrating between our lino and the ; Anzac position, but they reckoned without our artillery arid the' ships' guns. : The Now Zealanders determinedly-assaulted'the Rhododen-dron-crest, and gained the south-westoni slope of'Chunuk Bair, the Indians advancing an their left. . ,- ' Churkas Callantly Swarm Up the Slopes. • Again exhaustion, scarcity of water, and the numerousness of the wounded .' compelled the cessation of the attack until, nightfall. It was planned that thrco columns, consisting of New Zealauders, Indians, -arid another brigade, should finally assault Chunuk Bair. At daybreak on the 9thi preceded by a naval and land bombardment, the advance began. The third column was de-layed-by the broken ground and the enemy's resistance; Meanwhile the Gurkhas gallantly swarmed up tho slopes, and reached the crest, and had a vision of tlio other side. Unfortunately tliey were unable to retain the position in face of the violent counter-attacks and shell-fire. Moanwhilo a great Turkish force counter-attacked, and compelled ■ the other brigade upon 1 the left to withdraw to the lower slopes. - How a Turkish Division Was Wiped Out. Tho warships and land batteries plainly observed the great charge of four successive lines of infantry in closo formation, and caught tliem in a trap, and their momentum downhill prevented them recoiling in ■ time, and they wero swept away by hundreds in a terrific storm of high oxplosivc, slnapuel, and common shells from tho ships' guns, howitzers, and field pieces. Never since the commencement of the campaign had such a target delighted the hearts of our-gunners. The huge shells from the warships threw huge chunks of soil sky.waj'd, mingled with human bodies, which fell in the/deep ravines. Even this concentration of artillery might not have checked the charge, but"ten machine guns rattled at short range, until the. guns . smofeeel with •heat, so that hardly a Turk reached the hills again. . Their lines got mixed up; those,seeking to retire clashed with.others pressing forward; some .fled back over the crest towards the safety of tho trenches, others dashed downwards to tho ravines, where shrapnel searched them out, The entire division was broken up in a few minutes, and the Turks thus paid a terrible price for their success in-regaining tne crest of portions of l the lino on Rhododendron Ridge, where we wcre'compelled to give ground. ' : ; 1 Most Ferocious and Sustained Soldiers' Battle. i ; Tho Turks were fighting desperately; -realising tbe precariousness of their ! position, but the magnificent conduct of our officers saved tho day. . Generals and Colonels fought with bayonets alongside privates, and nobody knew how'a cbnirado was .faring amongst, tho scrub.Many, commanding, officers were killed. , Gradually our lost ground was regained, and at nightfall on the 10th • the lighting died'down from the sheer-exhaustion,of both armies and tho impossibility of further physical effort. Thus' ended tho most ferocious and sustained soldiers' battle sinco Inkerman that lasted a fow hours. Englishmen, Australians, New Zealauders, Maoris, Gurklias, and Sikhs were engaged-in a. terrible combat on 'blood-stained hills for four days and nights at a height of nine hundred feet, whither supplies wero carried by paths that did not exist except on tho map of tho operations. - '• , . . This resulted in tho extension of tho Anzac position, and 110 longer was thero a stifled feeling among the troops crowdcd in that restricted area. The lino now runs northward until it links up with tho corps beforo Biyuk and Anafarta. • • . -.i ' . .• - i '.."V. Scene of Desolation Between tho Lines. Wo hold the foothills, and have established ourselves beneath the'erest of Chunuk Bail 1 , and havo securely dng in on; the summit, of, Rhododendron Ridge, awaiting events with the complacency characteristic of the colonial and the Britisher, who are not downhearted, but are willing for another try. ' ' The incompleteness of the success was not the fault of those troops advanceiug from Aanzac. A little less dead-weight of Turkish numbers would have enabled the Anzac troops to consolidate their short, desperate ■ crip they had of Chunuk'Bair. '. . . ,' There is a scene of desolation between the lines.' Masses of ; Turks lie u'here they fell. Many have been thrown out of the trenches to make room •for the living. ; _ _ At ono point Australian, Englishman, Maori, and Gurkha are lying side by side, piarkiDg tho,highest point tho Imperial forces attained in the Peniusula. 1 .- " T~ • MANY; TURKISH TRANSPORTS . SUNK, • 7 London, September 2. 'A Paris communique states:—lt has been very calm on the southern front at tho Dardanelles during the last week. - The British in the northern zone delivered successful attack® and gained ! possession of a mountain ridge west of Biyuk Anafarta, which was much disputed. ■ . . • _ , Besides the transport which an aeroplane sank'on; tho 20th, British submarines torpedoed four Turkish transports, two of which were anchored at Akbaslii Bay and two between Gallipoli and Nagara. I The guns of the..warships struck,several vessels anchored in tho Straits. • A' TURKISH COMMUNIQUE. i ■ Constantinople, September 2. A' comniunique_ states: —The enemy's left wing at Seddul Bahr, after great waste of ammunition unsuccessfully attempted to destroy our trenches. , Batteries in tho Straits on Monday forced; the mine-sweepers >wbich \ap- . proached tho Dardanelles to retreat. The guns also dispersed other mine-sweep-ers near Seddul Bahr, and successfully bombarded the enemy's infantry at Seddul Bahr. FORCING THE DARDANELLES 'AND THE FOOD QUESTION, (Rec. September 3, 11.10 p.m.)' London, September 3. . The groat effect tho forcing of the Dardanelles will li'ave on tho food question is shown by the estimates of the Russian grain crop, tho cutting of which . will he finished in a week. The grand total is expected to reach 250,000,000 Quarters.' Th-s crops already harvested-total 35,000,000 quarters above last year's yield, and 36.J million quarters_in excess of the live years'_ average. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent, in supplying these figures, says tho Russian Minister of Agriculture has given a definite assurance in figures,-so dispelling the doubts thrown by German agents on tho unusual value of tho yield.Great quantified of grain havo been accumulated at Black Sea ports awaiting tho success of the Gallipoli operations. , '