OUR LAST GREAT EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2607, 1 November 1915, Page 5

OUR LAST GREAT EFFORT

FAMOUS <£ 29th " AT SUVLA BAY London, October 29. Mr. Ash'mcad Bartlett, commenting on the paucity _ of references to particular units ill his Dardanelles messages, Bays that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, tile Censor was responsible for excellent reasons. ■' General Hamilton, earlier, had relaxed the rule whenever possible, remarking that the composition of the whole force was known in Cairo, which was swarming with spies. Later, greater secrecy became necessary, owing to the arrival of "drafts from Home'for the great effort, which began on August 6, and may be said, definitely to have stood still till August 21.

A Secret Landing. The forces v engaged at Suvla consisted of the 10th and 11th Divisions of tho now arniy,_ and the 33rd and 54th Territorial Divisions. The 13th Division of tho new army was landed secretly at Anzac, and participated in the desperato fighting at Sari Bail'. The young and untried soldiers did. extremely well alongside the more experienced Colonial companies, who helped them to comploto thoir training under fire. An excellent - feeling of friendship had sprung up between this Australians and the volunteers from England. The 29th Brigade and the 10th Division also fought at 'Anzac, but the time had come to do belated justice to the famous 29th Division in the Homeric struggle. The. division landed under General Eunter-Weston, and since then was under General De Lisle. England, ScotIreland, arid Wales wore represented. All mention of the division's final efforts to achieve success liad hitherto been suppressed, otherwise the secret* strategic move would have been disclosed. The facts are that when "the attempt, at Anafarta definitely failed' it was decided to employ the 29tli Division in a final effort to cut the enemy's communications. Three brigades were secretly brought up by night in trawlers, and landed at Suvla,

The Halo of "No. 29." Their arrival stimulated the wholo army, and also showed how seriously the leaders regarded the task. Everyone felt .that if the 29th failed no one could succeed. Like the Old Guard at Waterloo, it was brought up for a last effort to break through the enemy's everstrengthening works.. The 29th Division was over surrounded by the halo of romance and glory attaching to Caesar's Tenth Legion and Napoleon's Old Guard. Few of the veterans who landed at Sed-clul-Bahr were left. Some had lieen wounded many times, for ths division had the most prominent role in almost every engagement. At least thrice its original strength had passed through the ranks bofore the middle of September. "Here," says Mr. Ashniead Bartlett, "see the value of tradition. It matters not how young and inexperienced the drafts are, no sooner do they find themselves surrounded by the mysterious halo of 'number twenty-nine' ilian they distinguish themselves, and fight or die like the marvellous band 1 of old soldiers who were the last of the original regular army to take the field, j made historical by the landing of April 25."

Tho troops, rested 1 quietly in tho tronches throughout tho morning, and fully realised the responsibilities of the task assigned them, which was then regarded as more difficult than any they had been called on to make at Holies, oxcept at tho landing. Thoy realised that tho eyes of the whole army were watching thorn, and that a signal, if dangerous, honour had been conferred on them when asked to make a fresh effort. Glorious Efforts Fall. "The 87th Brigade- was ordered to attack Hill 70, and the 86th Brigade Hill 112j while the 88tli was held in reserve. The lnniskilliiig Fusiliers and tho Border Regimont first attacked Hill 70, and almost reached the crest, only to be i driven off by concentrated shrapnel and machine-gun fire. The S6th repeatedly made an effort to advance, hut failed, and with heavy losses. The South Wales Borderers Reserve was called up, -and after one more effort succeeded in digging in under the crest. They participated in tho final charge, and gained possession of the crest. J'hus tho brunt of the fighting on August 21 fell on the 29th Division. Thoy failed hut a brave and determined enemy had incalculable advantages in position. The division added to its fame by the failure." Mr. Bartlett points out that the chief credit was given to. the Yeomanry in ! previous accounts, because it was the only corps the_Censor allowed to be men- , tioned. The Yeomanry were really in re- i serve until late in tlio afternoon. They j deserve every credit for tlieir magnifi- j cent behaviour on bho first time in action They advanced two miles in a perfect nail of shrapnel, over bare ground, 7/hich was without cover.