ANZAC WITHDRAWAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2652, 24 December 1915, Page 5

ANZAC WITHDRAWAL

LONDON PRESS VIEWS

AUSTRALASIANS* BRILLIANT

PART ,

By TeUerapli—Press Association—Copyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" .Services.) (Rec. December 23, 5.5 p.m.) '" • London, December 22. The London Press again devotes tlie principal columns to the withdrawal from Anzac and Suvla Bay. The outstanding feature is the 'universal reference to the Australasians, ivho brilliantly carried out their part of the Suvla Bay operations. The "Westminster Gazette" points out that only the rarest qualities of skill and nerve could have enabled the withdrawal) to have taken place without loss of guns and stores under the eyes of the enemy. "It is too soon to reckon up the enterprise. It failed in its original purpose, but it has enriched history with a chapter unequalled for daring and heroism, and probably prevented therenewal, of the. attacks against j Egypt. Let none say that brave men laid down their Jives vainly, for while .the race lives Anzac will be an imperishable name, full of a proud memory to Australia and New Zealand." The "Evening; Standard" says: "The ill-starred and ill-considered enterprise, begun as a minor naval, and continued as a major military, operation, achieved nothing, save an epic and fruitless valour. .It has wrecked political anrt military reputations, and ended i like all gambles. There are hints that it was a mysterious and distinguished colleaguo of Sir Charles Monro who recommended the withdrawal." "Tho Times," in a leader, says : ''The standard of the enemy at Gallipoli appears to liave equalled the numbers ot our own army, and was composed of the, flower of Turkey's fighters. If they bad not discovered that the retirement was proceeding, and had not tried to interfere, wo can only conclude, in the vulgar phrase, that, the, 'stuffing was knocked out of them',' and tlieir morale had degenerated. We feel the disappointment of the Australasians deoply. Theworld rang with their deeds, and it is a sad ending to their first great enterprise. We hope their disappointment will be assuaged by the thought that they have,only been withdrawn in'order to give them sew opportunities under conditions more promising of success.'' The "Daily Mail" says: "What <is wrong with the conduct of the war is the management of politicians' and not theconduct of. the soldiers in the field.. There has-been nothing more splendid as a military operation than the withdrawal from Suvla Bay and Anzac with the loss of four wounded, and there is nothing more unpardonable than the vaccilation and feebleness of Ministers, who left a large force marooned for months while trying to • make up their minds to remove them." . ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL MR. ASHMEAD BARTLETT'S OPINION ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, December 22. . In a special interview, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett says: "I am afraid that, the evacuation of_ Suvla Bay -and Anzac comes ais a bitter disappointment to Australia and New Zealand, but it does not surprise me, because I had long foroseen that that course was absolutely essential; in fact, the only one that could be adopted. "In my opinion, after the failure ot the grand attack on August 6 and 10,? we stood no chance of advancing from our present positions. Bulgaria's intervention at once changed the entire character of the campaign, because it became impossible for us to adopt the only sound strategic scheme by which we could achieve a definite and decisive, success, namely," to land an army north of the Bulair lines, thus severing the Turldsh communications with Thrace and Constantinople. "Since my return from the Dardanelles, I have most reluctantly, both in the Press and privately, advocated withdrawal from these two positions. 1 think the Government has acted courageously. It would have incurred a terrible responsibility in keeping the troops there in the winter months. The nation has shown, the highest qualities, not when marching to uninterrupted succoss, but in facing trials) reverses, and disappointments. "The people of Australia pnd New Zealand will meet the crisis in the same spirit as their 'heroes at Anzac found the grim hills of Gallipoli. I have just returned from a short tour, and found in every town in England, Scotland 1 , and Ireland the same feeling of affection and gratitude towards the Australians and New Zealanders for the glorious services they have rendered the Empire. It is universally agreed,that success, counts for little; compared with the wonderful page that has been added to history by the courage; determination, and steadfast endurance shown by all our troops on the Peninsula, whether from the Dominions or not. The same moral force will win the war, rather than decisive battles in the field. That is why we are on the high road to' victory, and the lasting unity of the Empire has been sealed by the blood of Gallipoli. "Let us not talk of loss/of prestige, for the graves at Anzac }vill ever keep our honour and reputation alive in the minds of tho Ottoman soldiers. If we failed to obtain our immediate objective we should not regard it as a tragedy, but rather as an incentive to find it in another way. "Let us forgot 1 the errors of the past and start with a fresh determination to complete tho work of the hcroes_ who lie buried, but never forgotten, amidst the grim hills of Anzac. Whether wo win or lose, Australia and New Zealand have written their names indelibly, not only there, but on tho heart of every Englishman."

AUSTRALIAN VIEWS

WILL HEARTEN UP THE TURKS

Sydney, 'December 23. Tlie papers tiro aiutified that tbo with, di'awal" from Galllpoli was aehiayqq at light Cflgti but esßrssf. di.aspßoi%

ment that the glorious achievements and ! sacrifices of the Australians and New < Zealanders have been without result. The "Herald" says: "That it was desirable, if possible, there coiiM be • very little doubt, even if it had not been in accordance with tho advice of three very distinguished officers." . Tho "Daily Telegraph" says: "The is a dramatically disappointing anti-climax to the Dardanelles campaign. Tho' moral effect is likely to be < ciuite disproportionate to its material importance. It will assuredly give new heart, to the Turks, and cause them to believo they are _ winning the war—a delusion which will only tend to make the prospcct of peaco more remote." MELBOURNE COMMENT (Rec. December 23, 9 p.m.) Melbourne, December 23. The disappointment tho Australian's naturally :feel over the necessity of the withdrawal, and surprise that tho operation was so splendidly carried out form the burden of tho newspapers' comment on tho" evacuation of Gallipoli. Tho "Argus" says: "The whole of tho land occupied at Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay was evidently tainted. For months the troops suffered far more from sickness than, at the hands of the enemy. Tho weekly reports of hundreds being striken with sickhoss had become monotonously doleful and depressing. _ Australians and New Zealanders will be glad to see their soldiers fighting in some other field, seeing that the plans of responsible leaders aro so decided." The "Age" says: "Progress being physically impossible, the Allies were obliged to choose between ail indefinite stalemate and abandonment. Whatever tho retirement connotes, it offers a guarantee to Australasians to serve henceforth in a sphere whoro the foe will bo more accessible without all tho advantage being on his side." HIS POLISHED PERIODS SIR lAN HAMILTON'S DISPATCH • ' London, Debember 22. In the House of Commons, the UnderSecretary "for War (Mr. H. J. Tennant) deplored Sir Edward Carson's (? Mr. John Redmond's) accusation of dillydallying with Sir lan Hamilton's dispatch, which reached the War Office on Monday. Sir lan Hamilton was a writer of distinction, and had taken time to polish his periods. '' BOOTY AT ARIBURNU A TURKISH COMMUNIQUE \ ' Amsterdam, December 22. ' A Turkish communique states that the ■ booty at Ari Bitrnu included many . mules. The enemy warships all day loiig bombarded the camps in an effort to destroy the booty. GERMAN VIEWS TRIUMPH OF TURKISH ARMS ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. December 23, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 22. The President of the Reichstag stated that the evacuation of Gallipoli was a military and moral defeat of England, and a triumph for Turkish arms.