The Dardanelles.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 32, 13 January 1916, Page 5

The Dardanelles.

HOW HELLES WAS LEFT. GENERAL MONRO REPORTS. EMBARKATION OPERATIONS, TURKS MISS THEIR CHANGE. United Pbkhc association. (Received 8.5 a.m.) London, January }'2. (lenera| Moni'o reports that the Turks a tempted a heavy attack at Helles on January 7th and alter four hours intense bombardment in the aiternooiij sprang two mines on the western Birdcage and at Fusilier Bluff. A quarter of an hour later fixed bayonets appeared all along our front. Turish officers were seen endeavourong to make the men assault, but they were only successful opposite fifth Avenue and Fusilier Bluff. The Staffordshires completely repulsed the attack and a large proportion of the l'urks were killed or wounded. Our casualties during the attack were live officers and 130 men killed or wounded.- Naval fire on the left flank also ; ! caused considerable Turkish losses. The evacuation operations were quickly and successfully resumed iu the night with a calm sea until the afternoon of the Bth, when the weather grew suddenly worse and the wind increased to thirty-live miles an hour. At midnight it was only just possible to use the piers for the lighters, and impossible to carry out our programme of embarking the troops upon destroyers alongside the sunken ships on the West Bead) owing to the connecting piers being washed away. The embarkation at Gully Beach was also impossible and one lighter went ashore. Nevertheless the programme at "W" and "1 Beaches was completed by two-thirty and the troops at Gully Beach embarked at four. The Turkish artillery was practically silent the whole night until the stores were fired simultaneously by time fuses alter the evacuation' wa's completed. The Turks then fired red lights all along line and heavily shelled the beaches and trenchss until after daybreak. The French Navy carried out the French embarkation.

CENERAL MONRO'S STATEMENT

Fee Press Association

Wellingtoiij January 12

Tlie High Commissioner reports, under date London, January +2, 1-50

General Monro states that the Turks attempted a heavy attack on our lines at Cape Holies on Friday. Our trenches were continuously shelled. The bombardment was intense and the Turks opened a heavy musketry fire. They sprang two mines near the western Birdcage and Kusilier Bluff, and later fixed bayonets all along our front. Their officers were seen apparently endeavouring to make the men assault, but they were only successful opposite Fifth Avenue and Fusilier Bluff. The Staffordshire* completely repulsed the attack, a large proportion of Turks being killed and wounded. Our casualties were five officers and 130 men killed and grounded. Aeroplanes reported that our naval fire on the left flank was' most accurate, and it is probable that the enemy suffered considerably. The night of January 7-8 was fine for the evacuation; and the operations were being quietly and successfully continued. On Saturday ther<> was a calm sea. but the weather suddenly became worse, and at 11 o'clock at night the wind had increased, to 35 miles an hour. The Turkish artillery was practically silent the whole night. The Turks fired red lights all along the line, opening a heavy shelling after daybreak. The French embarkations were carried out b v their navy.

NEWS FROM CAIRO. Wellington. January 12. The following Special, dated Cairo, January 11, has been received from Malcolm Ross, Official New Zealand War Correspondent:— The Seventh and. Eighth Reinforcements are joining the .Main Body in the new camp. Six hundred Maoris who are encamped in Cairo are in splendid fettle.

Every precaution is being taken to secure the Canal against the threatened attack. All the New Zealand gun s were got off the Peninsula, a team oi horses being left to gallop in with the last gun on Sunday night. This was safely accomplished, and even the horses, which it was thought would have to bo killed, were got off. The officer commanding was 'determined that no New Zealand gun should he exhibited at Constantinople, even though some of them, that were used against Cronje in the Boer war, wore not worth saving.

The artillery are naturally proud of this splendid. Feat. The gunners love their guns, especially those that they brought with them and fought with through the campaign. On December 17. when one sub-section left ivithout a bullet having marked the howitzer, and when they though it would have to be blown up, the limber gunner in charge broke down and cried. 'Two nights later this gun was got off by another section, and the gunner., were delighted. It may he imagined thai the successful evacuation of rlellos pots the cooingstone upon an operalion unique in military annals.