Latest War News

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 December 1915, Page 3

Latest War News

(ltecoivedhjThis Day 9 a.m.) I'OfIITKXN }AT GALLIPOLL '■*"< Loudopj Dec. 28. Mr Ward Price, waiting on the liitli, Bays that the Turkish artillery fire, due to the opening of fcJie railway, is increasing. Big igtxiis have been dra»vn bv 'bullocks along the solitary road, bit hare 'been so slow in getting into position that the smaller guns are now manned by expert Austrian and Ger man artillerymen are bom>bardin;» the beaches at" Helles daily at a sixmile range, with six inch exploji 'e shells. It is surprising how litt'a damage has been done, although thoy can ibomliard on three sides with aibaolut_- precision. The weather, however h more capable of giving trouble than

the TurJtish artillecry. The recent storm caught the light vessels which were sheltering in Kephalos Bay tu lnuros, and also, damaged the breaKI waters the British constructed at ; Suvla, Helies and Kephalos Bay by Binking old sand-filled ships. The hurricane of the 27th and .29 th Nov eraser was a terrible trial. The British, Australians and New Zealanders were penned in Narrow tronches on the naked ridges. It first rained in to.rcnts for twelve hours and then a piercing frost followed. I'he men's drcnchcd ovorcoats. were so stiff that they stofld up by themselves. The water froze around the men's feet 'as they slept in utter exhaustion. Some were only kept' alive by working a!.' night long with picks and shovels. After the night came a blizzard, and the hien were frozen and buffeted by the wind and sleet, and "ivardly able to move to keep ' their circulation a lire, and they endured agonies. (Sentries watching the loopliolos were Y,imd dead at their posts, frozen, their right fingers still clu-tcliing thoir rifles in an iron fast" grip, and their blackened faces were -still leaning under Hie sackcloth curtain against the loopholes. Never since the Crimea have "the British troops endured sttcli an ordeal. Those who doubted if tlie Australian.") could endure exposure may be reassured; fhey. stood the trial well. The. Turks suffered worse. "Without blankets and waterproof Bheets, they had to sleep in their oveircoats. When the twelve-hour cloudburst turned the gullies infto 'raging torrents, carrying many Turkish dead bodies, with the carcases of mules ancT equipment, file Turkish trencihes were so flooded that the men had to get out in the open where we shot them though the fingers o l ' some of our' men were too frozen to pulf the triggers. As an officer said, w<> could only grin at the Turks. Fortunately the weather since has set fa r and now there is a spell of mild Riviera weather enabling the flooded' trenches to bo repaired and rebuilt, and the smashed jetties repaired. (Received This Day 10.10. a.m.) NW ZEAL ANDERS FIGHT THE

SENUSSI. Cairo. Dec. 27. Official: The 'New Zoalanders and Sikhs successfully engaged the Senussi on the western frontier of Egypt on Christmas day. They sustained a few casualties. London. Dec. 27. Only the bare fact that the New Zealanders are carrying on operations in the Senussi country has reached London. THE TURK'S STORY. The Turkish communique claims . that the Senussi in Egypt continue a successful attack on the English. The Sisa region is almost completely oleareo of the enemy. During the attack on Matruh, 230 miles east of Solium Hay 300 English were killed. We captured two guns, ten motorcars an;l much munition. TURKS' STORY DENIED. The War official yesterday issued a doniaJ of the Turks' statement. it says there was no fighting with the Arabs on the Western frontier between the 14th and 24th, but we looatedi ihe principal Arab force eight miles froin Matvuh on Christmas Day and dispersed them with trifling British loss. THE CAIRO REPORT. . Cairo, Dec. 28. An official message re'eeived this morning states thaf a British "Force I'ro n Matruh located fiße Senussi a little to the westward of Jebelmedwa, where a New Zealand baittaiion and the Sikhs immediately attacked them and were completely successful. The enemy were driven towards Wa demy id. Our 1 h'-es were slight. FRENCH TAKE A HAND. Paris, Dec. 28. A conwnuriique reports that a cruiser exploring Solium Bay destroyed a Turkish battery and trawler. It also stacked two large enemy submarine, vhich fled after being fired at for two loura.