THE DARDANELLES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 65, 16 July 1915, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

NAVAL BOMBARDMENT.

ALLIES’ MARKED SUCCESS AT CABE TEPE.

United Press Association. (Received 9.10 a.in.) Athens, July 15. A British battleship, accompanied by four destroyers, on Saturday bombarded Gahe Tepe throwing two hundred shells with marked success. An Allied cruiser on Sunday, accompanied by torpedoers and aeroplanes, successfully bombarded tbo Turkish right near Ari Runtil. The bombardment of the Turkish encampments at Chesne Vourla continues.

ADVANCE OF THE ALLIES.

London, July 15.

Mr Asbmead Bartlett reports that a successful advance of our lelt wing on June twenty-eighth seems to have .seriously alarmed the enemy and caused him grave anxiety for the safety of Ins right flank. Having brought up fresh troops, whereof some were raw Asian levies, lie has been counter-attacking vigorously ever since, making the most desperate efforts to recover the lost trenches. Enver Pasha came from Constantinople to stimulate “the faithful” to fresh exertions, and a great banner was hoisted at Achi Baba symbolical his arrival. There are also dissension in the Turkish camp, ior the generals on the spot have gained experience of the futility ot massed counter-attacks against the entrenched Britishers, and they opposed aiiy attempt to recover the lost ground, arguing that it was better to await our fresh advance, hut Enver Pasha insisted on a general attack along the whole line.

It is reported that thirty fresh battalions were engaged in this move. The enemy were particularly severely handled on our left wing, being caught between our field guns, howitzers, and enfilading fire destroyers. In fact, the enemy’s massed advances simply faded away before our artillery and accurate infantry lire. In our centre and on our right wing the Turks on occasions sapped up close, and fought on evener terms, but iu not a single instance were they able to maintain a lodgment in our trenches. Their artillery ■was inactive on the 28th, but apparently received fresh supplies, and fired largely during the last three days, but their lire was without effect. The Asiatic batteries were also active, and our troops had a bad time at the beach'"and the Lancashire landing, but we were too well dug in to suffer except from direct hits.

THE TURK AS A FIGHTER. Our officers are loud in theii praises of the extreme gallantry and indifference to death shown by the Turkish infantry. Superlative as he proved himself to be in defence, his method pi attack was crude and wasteful. He does uot| possess a scientific knowledge of carrying out an attack like our infantry. Supported by artillery the Turk is clever at sapping and in the use of bombs, whereof he possesses a large supply, hub when he attempts to carry positons at the bayonet point he is invariably beaten with enormous loss. Before attack he masses several battalions in natural features of the ground, under cover and hidden from view. Then the mass surges forward in irregular formation, slowly and without apparent enthusiasm. Our artillery, with early iuiorma-

tion, concentrates and breaks up the gatherings before they have a chance of leaving cover. Sometimes a leu of the bavest and most determined reach our parapetts, only to he shot down, but the majority scatter, leaving the snipers, who cause most of our casualties,- in broken ground. The net result of the Turkish efforts has been that an enormous number has been killed and wounded during the last week. All along our line the dead are lying in hundreds, while thousands of wounded have gone to Constantinople. From our standpoint Knver’s intervention has been a happy inspnatiori. His activity is possibly only temporary, as he has taken the opportunity’ of General you Sandeis (wound to try his own methods of 'driving ns into the sea. The Turkish * recklessness in throwing away thousands of lives points to their ha\ mg unlimited troops on the peninsula; in fact, it would seem that ve aie lighting the whole Turkish army, which has been withdrawn from elseI where and concentrated at Jhi ace and Gallipoli.

I'Vom captured orders it is evident that the Turkish commanders are worried by the facility wherewith we have taken trenches in the last two advances. Drastic steps are being taken to prevent a repetition; men are stictly forbidden to retire, and the officers are ordered to shoot them if they do. Any officer refusing to shoot his men will be shot himsell. .Meanwhile the Turks have constructed four new lines of trenches, of great strength, in fornt of our left wing, whilst men are digging all round Achi Baba and Krithia.