ON GALLIPOLI

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1932, Page 6

ON GALLIPOLI

GLORIOUS DEEDS

“DID NOT DIE IN VAIN.”

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph.—Copying^-.)

(Received this day at 10.15 a.m.)

LONDON, April 9

The summary of the official history of Gallipoli ends with a dramatic accounts of the evacuation of Hellos m a single night, on January 8, 1910. which General Birdwood decided upon,

realising the extreme difficulty of further hoodwinking the Turks as to his troops’ intentions. The epilogue expresses the opinion that the drama of the Dardanelles campaign, by reason of the beauty of its setting and the grandeur, of its theme, will rank among the world’s classic tragedies.. There is little doubt- that the idea of forcing the Straits in order to help Russia, to eliminate Turkey from the war, and rally the Balkan States to the Entente was one of the few great strategical conceptions of the World War. Still less is there any doubt that, in the spring of 1915, Die operation was not beyond the capacity of the Entente, and failure was due to too utter lack of preparation before the campaign began. Despite this fundamental folly, the issue hung in the balance during March and April. The naval attack on April 18 was abandoned at the very moment the Turks were resigning themselves to defeat.

In connection with the military land-

ings in April, lack of guns and ammunition provoked'the inevitable penalties.

Chunuk Bair was lost hv over-caut-

ion by one column commander on August- 8, and a golden opportunity was iost at Suvla? when twenty British battalions were opposed by a single Turkish detachment of fifteen hundred men. and there were no Turkish reserves within thirty miles. The narrow margin by which success was missed, proves that Sir Tan Hamilton did not set his troops the impossible task, though undoubtedly hazardous. Examining the causes of failure, Oglander says that two factors must not he overlooked—the splendid fighting qualities of the Turkish soldier in defence, and the brilliant leadership of the Turkish Fifth Army. The Turkish soldier being, generally from the peasant class, he had advantage over the invader in that he could thrive <>n simple fare and endure conditions which entailed severe hardships for the British troops. The Turks owed much to Von Sanders’ hold and quick decisions. Also, it is impossible to appraise too highly cth&i. assistance* Afonin Sanders received from the “Man of Destiny,” the present ruler of Turkey, who showed, in Gallipoli at the head of an infantry division outstanding genius for command. Mustapha, Pasha’s ready grip of the situation on April 25, was primarily responsible for the Anzac’s failure to gain their objective on the day of the landing. His vigorous action on September 9, saved the situation at Suvla, while his brilliant counter-attack at Chunuk Bair on October 8, placed the Turks in undisputed possession of Sari Bair ridge. Though the Dardanelles campaign failed, it played a great part in the eventual fortunes of the war by hampering Germany’s use of forces on the western front in the spring of 1915. It also helped to make Italy outer the war, and kept Greece out, and forced Bulgaria to hold aloof for many months.

'inally ; the fighting at Gallipoli des-

troyed the flower of the Turkish army and paved the way for Allenby’s victory in Palestine, Truly, it may be said that those who fell ai Gallipoli did not fall in vain. The history is being published on Auzac Day.