HIGH COMMISSIONER'S RE, PORT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 215, 27 May 1915, Page 5

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S RE, PORT.

AT THE DARDANELLES. • GOOD PROGRESS MADE. THE USE OF GAS. EXTENDED IN BELGIUM. LONDON, May 25...,. At the Dardanelles on Friday,, thei French Division made considerable: progress and is now close to the Turk-, ish trenches. On Saturday the enemy determinedly attacked the left of the Indian Brigade, gaining a temporary: footing, but a strong counter-attack: drove the Turks back with the loss.of over 50 men and a number of prisoners On Sunday the Turks demanded & sue.; pension, of hostilities, opposite^tbjo Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, to enable them to bury a large namber of Turkisk dead lying.-.close to our trenches. Over 3000 Turks ";W ere buried that were killed between-Tues-day and Thursday. Sir John French reports that pof: tions of tlie line east of Ypres, were lost yesterday during the enemy's "attack with gas, which have not yet been unrecovered. The amount of gas used exceeding all previous occasions* Over a front of fiv e miles gas was emitted simultaneously from cylinderaJtor nearly five hours and the line was. bombarded with asphyxiating sheslsy>a -gas cloud rising in places forty feet high,] Portions of our line remained tintact, our men demonstrating that; due.-Pre-cautions would enable them to-fdefeat this form of attack.

VON SANDERS IN COMMAND^. OF TURKISH CRACKiCORP.Sy. REPULSED BY AUSTRALASIANS;--(Reed 8.20 a.m ; } " This recenji Turkish: attack,- nßar Gabatepe, was carefully; by General Von Sanders, with the object of inflicting a check on-the> Allies- that, would raise th e spirits of Turks,,and reassure the public which had-been profoundly impressed."by- the .heavy Turkish losses

Von Sanders brought up his ; first army corps, the crack' organisation which had been reserved for the?defence of Constantinople. Their landing was greatly hampered from aeroplanes. Two divisions >$ attacked Australians and Zealanders on t,he night of May 18th;> but -the Turks were completely losing 2000 killed and -5000 ? wounded^. At the south'end of the Peninsula the French were faced ; by strong defensive works. In fierce -bayonet .and hand grenade«fighting colonial - infantryman, named La Borte, took the lead, entering Turkish trenches; they threw grenades and stopped counter-attacks, also prevented quick-firers ; being used until he fell wounded.

MAGNIFICENT- WoftK; BY BRITISH; SUBMARINE; TRANSPORTS AND TQRPEDOERS; SUNK:, " : (Recdv. 11.30. a ; mv)i ATHBNS,'. May 26. The Balkans News, Agency statesthat a British - submarine. in. the. S"ea< of Marmora, on Monday, sank three Turkish transports, that were carryingtroops and ammunition; also two- torrpedoe boats and a collier. Only twelve of" the torpedo boats'sailors reached - Thracian Coast; The submarine- returned safely- to; Tenedos.

FIERCE FIGURING IN TURKEY*-. THE TURKS RETREATING: SMYRNA GARRISON- DESERTING; . f (Reed; VbA& a*mO ATBgeNS,. May- 2& Mitylene reports that fierce fighting is proceeding on th e Peninsula. The. Turks are Ee-fcreating. English officers who landed at Imbros asked the Government to p«t a veiso on alt presumed Turkish officers and soldiers. The Smyrna garrison continue to desert. FINE WORK BY THE QUEEN ELIZABETH. GATBO, May £6. Router states that the Turks never come to close quarters with the Australasians. Directly they see the bayonets they are off. The Turks are poor rifle shots, but are fairly accurate with the machine-guns, which alone are holding the colonials. Stories of atrocities must be f-ecot>-ted with reserve, as there is sehV.m first-hand information. After the recent assault at Gaba Tepe the Turkish command permitted the British to bury their stead" and eciTry off the wounded. The position at Tepe hi very strong, being a trenchou. The Queen ElizoWth continues td do great work.- no is quoted. A long line of was seen jn lite hills 16 distant. The_ ; t*a?3hip fired one, %$$ the wm nd seen .. -■_