THE DARDANELLES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 6, 7 May 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

TARCZTS FOR THE GUNS. FINE STORY OF BATTLE. Unitid Pbem Ars^oiatiow London, May 5. I The Daily Chronicle correspondent telegraphs under date of Thursday that from a motor launch in the hay under Gabatebak on Monday night he witnessed a land battle in which a portion of the fleet assisted. Searchlights picked out targets for the great guns. The opposing artillery, working across the valley running inland from the hay, was firing so continuously that he could discern the outline of the valley, across which two land forces were also contending. Often the whole valley seemed a river of flame. The Turkish position on Monday was roughly from the crest above Maidos to Bukale, the British holding the seashore at the month of the valley and the Hazmak valley. The Turkish guns replied from positions a mile behind Krithia, which the fleet's guns set on fire. The height of Achibab,' 3000 feet, dominated the region and is the chief obstacle to the Allies' advance. During Monday the British left was thrown along the northern and commanding ridge towards Bukali. The Turkish left during the night advanc-

ed to tho westward along the southern ridge, endeavouring to cut off our forces. The warships, including the Queen Elizabeth, replied with shrapnel, while the land forces on the northern ridge rained a hail of deadly shells. The fire was kept up at night, during which time the British extended their position, making the southern ridge extremely dangerous for the Turkish. Late on Tuesday afternoon the Turks, assisted by thick mists and a rainstorm, made another attack, inI tending to make it impossible for the I British transports to land supplies under cover of night. In the meantime the ships at the entrance to the Dardanelles bombarded the Narrows. The French landed at Morton Bay, and were marching along the roads leading to Krithia on Wednesday. By one o'clock on Wednesday the Allies were across the Peninsula a mile south of Krithia, shrapnel bursting on Achibab, which the warships were also shelling. Krithia was practically captured. By nightfall the Turkish artillery was feeble in replying, except when two cruisers ran close in shore. Then the cruisers replied, silencing the artillery in a few minutes. During Wednesday the activity of the Allies in the northern position wa> continued with a view to throwing a force across the Peninsula. The guns of the fleet are shelling the Turkish reinforcements, keeping the northern force free to attack.

TURKS LOSE 15,000. ' Athens, May 6. A Mitylene report says the Turks were considerably reinforced end attacked the Allies' camp at Krithia on Tuesday. They were repulse-l, leaving 15,000 dead. The Allies advanced into the interior. The fleet's bombardment continues. Their guns annihilated an entire Turkish regiment. The German Embassy at Constantinople admits that; the Allies occupied (several poinds cm the Peninsula. AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES. Sydney, May 6. The seventh casualty list from the Dardanelles is as follows: Wounded. —Lieutenants Ross and Pattinson. Died of wounds.—Sergeants Shipley, Wardrop, Smith; Lance Corporal Young; Corporals Bowen, and Sadler; Privates Smiles, Parman, Wright, Devlin, Willtsis, Vigg, Cheal, O'Connor, .Johnson, Day, Jackson, Venn nig, Marks, Grant, Thomson, T. Smith. H. Smith, Sturdy, Grieve, Greenham. Cohen,Newall, Thompson,Plummer and Thomas. Forty-one were wounded.

HOSPITALS AT MALTA. Times and Sydney Sun Service. (Received 8 a.m.) Malta, May 6. Many of the wounded from the Dardanelles have arrived. Large hospitals have been established, and are being staffed by English nurses under Sir Frederick Treves. Maltese ladies are forming a> nursing association. Arrangements are complete for tho accommodation of 8000 wounded. Sixteen hundred are coming from Egypt. ! Sir lan Hamilton's family has donated £7OOO to the hospitals, and the .British Red Cross £IO,OOO.