THE DARDANELLES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 32, 8 June 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

TREMENDOUS ODDS. RIDGE FIGHT AT SARI BABA. United Punas Aeboootiow. Cairo, June (3. The wounded include Major Dawson, a New Zealander, who is recovering. Major Dawson, with 150 Australians and New Zealanders, held a corner on the second ridge at Sari Baba for two days against tremendous odds. The general situation was critical and there was every probability that the British would he driven back to the beach, where nothing could save them. Major Dawson’s party clung to the position with the utmost tenacity. During the night a machine-gun section arrived, but the Turks were so close that the machine-gun was useless ; so the section retired and Major Dawson kept up the fight, his men shouting orders and bluffing the Turks into the belief that they confronted a considerable force, l’he machine-gun was heard at dawn sweeping across the Turkish trenches, the section having spent the night seeking a spot whence they could enfilade the Turks. Major Dawson thus held out until reinforced. ENEMY’S VIEWPOINT. London, June 7. A Daily Telegraph correspondent says a neutral army officer estimates that two thousand shells fell on Chauak when the Allied fleet tried to force the Narrows, yet only 20 were killed and 52 wounded in the forts. When one sees the 58-centimetre guns mounted above the Narrows passage the wonder is that the Allied fleet suffered so little. The Germans are supremely satisfied with the outlook as far as the Narrows are concerned, but diminishing supplies of ammunition are causing anxiety.

The Daily Chronicle’s Athens correspondent says there have been heavy Turkish casualties, and the numbers of wdunded arriving are weakening the Turkish resolve. Submarines have swept shipping from the Sea of Marmora,, adding to the Turkish difficulties in bringing ixp reinforcements and supplies. The Turks are feverishly strengthening the fortifications at Chatalja, where two hundred newlyarrived German officers are- stationed. ! t SINKING THE GOLIATH. Amsterdam, June 7. A German correspondent at Constantinople describes the sinking of the Goliath. British warships were in the habit of nightly visiting Morto Bay, when they carried on a brisk flanking fire against the ’Turkish defences. Lieutenant Firle, commanding the destroyer Mauvenet, including sixteen Germans, received permission to attack, and crept down the Dardanelles after sunset. He found two British vessels. The Mauvenet’s torpedo tube was manned at one o’clock, and meanwhile a British vessel was sighted by the Mauvenet. When in easy range the Mauvenet discharged, and the first torpedo struck the Goliath under the bridge, the second hit between the funnels, and the third in the quarter. There was a dull explosion, a sheet of flame followed, and the Goliath sank in three minutes without a soul being seen on deck. The Mauvenet doubled back at full speed, and when British torpedoers closed in on all sides they were received by a hail of shot and shell from the coast defences. MISSING NEW ZEALANDER. (Received 10.20 a.m.) Sydney, June 8. Corporal Vincent, who is missing at the Dardanelles, was educated in New Zealand.

• AN UNTRUE REPORT. NO EXPLOSIVE BULLETS. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Sydney, June 8. Captain Bean, cabling from Gallipoli, refers to the atrocities, and says that the stories of the Turks using explosive bullets are without foundation, being due to the Australians misunderstanding the curious double crack of the Mauser rifle. NAVAL OFFICERS. Killed ■ 1 Wounded ... ... ... 1 MEN. Killed ... ... ... 17 | Wounded ... ... ... lld /.Missing ... ... ... 10 | Gassed ... ... ... 0 Missing ... ... ... 0 Prisoners ... ... ... 9 j ARMY MEN. Killed ... ... ... 621 I Gassed ... ... ... I Wounded ... ... ... 2271 Gassed ... ... ... 3o Missing ... ... ... 290