THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 April 1921, Page 1

THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN.

THE ANZAC BEGINNING. The land attack on Turkey at the Gallipoli Peninsula began on April 25th, 1915 after the failure of an Anglo French fleet to force the Dardanelles. The naval atack had begun in a tentative fashion in November 1914, and was developed seriously in February 1915. Thus the Turks had ample notice of an intention to attack the Dardanelles, and when our land attack began, it was faced by a prepared resistance which should have made the task impossible. On five shallow beaches fringing a precipitous coast, every point of which was strongly held by a powerfully entrenched enemy, our troops—British Regulars, “Anzacs” (the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), Indians and French—were flung from the transports. The losses were cruel before land was touched. The beaches when reached were mere strips of shingle, enfiladed by artillery and rifle fire. Above j were almost inaccessible cliffs, bristling with Turks. But in that spirit of supreme heroism which comes now and again in the world’s history to lift our thoughts to the stars, the attacking troops won through from the sea to the beach from the beach to the cliffs; and after fierce fighting for two days and two nights found themselves in possession of a tiny patch of the Gallipoli Peninsula. But not a yard of the area then held was not under enemy fire, and the force depended for all supplies, including water, on what could he brought from the beaches under fire. By an impossible effort they had won an impossible position; and they held it. The pressing task of the Allied Command was now to seek to extend onr hold on the peninsula so as to secure some ground free from enemy fire. The repeated assaults on the Turkish lino at Krithia haH this purpose. Yard by yard of Turkish ground was won—6oo yards after three days’ fighting bythree British and two French Divisions. So through April, May, June, July, the struggle wont on without any great change. Thirst and hunger were added to the trial of the troops, for in some weather, communication was absolutely impossible because of the surf on the open beaches, and always it was difficult and dangerous, for wo still did not hold any ground nor any landing place safe from shell fire. The Germans came to the aid of the Turks with loaders and with guns, eager to drive into the sea these mad- adventurers whom the German God seemed to have delivered into their hands. On our side it was recognised by many that to advance was impossible, but the‘determination was unflinching to hold on until additional forces should come to enable another attack to ho made.

In August 1915 reinforcements arrived and a general attack was attempted, of which a feature was a fresh landing at Suvla Bay, on the west coast of the Gallipoli peninsula, to turn the Turkish right. On August 6tli the decisive Battle of Gallipoli was begun. It came very near to a success. The tradition of heroism which the first landing had established was upheld by most of the troops. But after three days’ fighting it was plain that only a miracle could bring victory. Yet another effort was made, and then on August 10th the battle was broken off After that the Gallipoli troops stood on the defensive, ‘cruelly attacked by sickness as well as l>y the enemy, until December 1916 and January 1917, when Fortune at last making grudged concession to their heroism —they were able to retire from the Peninsula with practically all their guns and equipment, and with just a single casualty. The Turks refrained from attacking whilst they embarked; perhaps 'they were hood-winked; perhaps overawed by the fantastic courage of these men. It was a sombre chapter of the Great War, relieved by the flashing glories of the heroic troops. .