THE DARDANELLES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 2, 3 May 1915, Page 2

THE DARDANELLES

OFFICIAL NEWS. DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE LANDING OPERATIONS. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TROOPS’ FINE SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION. FLEET’S INTENSE ADMIRATION 3F ACHIEVEMENTS OF MILITARY COMRADES. , The Premier has received the following from the High Commissioner, London, mh (11.20 pm.): At the Dardanelles the disembarkment of the army began before sunrise on Sunday, six different beaches being used. The operation was covered "by the whole fleet. The landing was immediately successful on five beaches, although opposed with vigor by a strongly entrenched enemy, the successive lines being protected by barbed wire entanglements, which in some places were fifty yards wide and supported by artillery. On the sixth beach, near Sedd-el-Bahr, the troops could not advance until the evening, when a fine attack by British infantry from the direction of Cape Tekeh relieved the pressure on their front. The arrangements, as Tar as the landing was concerned, were carried out with the utmost detail between the fleet and army. The result of the first day’s operations was the establishment of strong forces of British, Australian, and French at three of the main points, namely the Australian and New Zealand troops on the lower slopes of Saribair to the north of Gabatepe; the British at (ape Tekeh Cape Holies and near Morto Bay; and the French on the Asiatic shore at Kum Kale after gallant attack towards Yenishehr. In the afternoon a strong counter-attack by the enemy began, and there was haw fihting. Disembarkation of the army proceeded continuously, being favored with good weather. At day break on Monday the ninny were still holding the village and the oosition at Sedd-el-Bahr, which bad i labyrinth of caves, ruins of trenches, pits, and entanglements, /uled by the gunfire of the fleet, tl is position was stormed by the British iu frontal attacks through undam tged wire entanglements.

Sedd-el-Bahr was taken about two a’clock in the afternoon four pontoons 'icing captured. The situation at this cud of the Peninsula was thus definitely secured, and the disembarkation of French and British forces proceeded.

On Tuesday morning after repulsing a Turkish attack upon the left towards Cape Helles, the Allies advanced, and at eight o’clock in the evening established an entrenched Una from a point two miles north of Capo Tekeh to a small plateau above, where they established a battery. From this line, an advance has, since been made to the neighbourhood of Kritsia.

Meanwhile the Australian and New Zealand troops at Sarihiar, who had pushed on with the utmost boldness alter landing on Sunday, had been engaged almost constantly with the eneniv, who made strong and repeated

counter-attacks, which ware invariably repulsed. The Australian and Neur Zeahml troops fought with line spit'd and oetermination.

Early on Tuesday morning a fresh Turkish division was launched again-,! Sari hair, preceded by heavy art hery The enemy came boldly tinoe after , time, but the Australians am i New Zealand troops defeated every attempt

and by three o’clock in the afternoon had resumed the ollens ve. The French troops at K.nn Kale were

also four times strongly countier attacked on Monday, hut they retained all their positions. Five hundred Turks, who in the course of one of these counter attacks, were cut off by the lire of the Fleet, were made prisoners.

The operation of landing the army in face of modern weapons, and in spite of wire entanglements under sen as well as from land mines and deep pits with spikes at the bottom, has thus been accomplished. The Admiral reports that the Fleet was filled with intense admiration at the achievements of their military comrades. The casualties in arms were necessarily heavy.

The casualties in the fleet were not numerous, and appear to have open confined to the destroyers and boats’ crews engaged in the landing operations, in which merchant captains, officers, and crews of the transports had also taken part.

During these operations, a Turkish warship from Xagara several times attempted to intervene, hut always made off directly the Queen Elizaneth v,as at hand. At noon on Tuesday, however, a transport of about 8000 tons was teportod off aides Before v ho could escape, the Queen Elizabeth opened tire, and the third shot hit and destroyed her, and sank rapidly

Whether the vessel contained Hoops was nob seen.

j On Wednesday and Thursday, the Allies rested, improving and consolidating their posfitiofi, and continuing the disembarkation of stores and artillery.

All counter-attacks of the enemy, which were incessant on Wednesday, |,ut began to weaken on Thursday, aero repulsed. The fleet, while supporting the army, began to engage the batteries, the Triumph bombarding Mai das, which was a lire on Thursday.