A GALLIPOLI FIGHT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 222, 8 June 1915, Page 2

A GALLIPOLI FIGHT.

REPORT BY SIR lAN HAMILTONALLIES GAIN CONSIDERABLE GROUND. TURKS STILL IN POSSESSION. The Minister of Defence has received the following communication: TENEDOS, June 5, 3.50 p.m. . On the night of 3rd June the Turks, having heavily bombarded a small fort th e French had captured in from their extreme right and reached its northeast angle, launched an infantry attach against it, which was repulsed. About the same time they SET FIRE TO SCRUB in front of th e left centra of the 29th Division and attacked, but without success. On the morning of the 4th ist. I MADE A GENERAL ATTACK on the Turkish trenches in the southern area of the Peninsula, commencing with a heavy bombardment by all guns, including those of two battleships, two cruisers and several destroyers with 4inch guns. On cessation of the bombardment the troops rushed . FORWARD WITH THE BAYONET and were immediately successful all along the line except at one spot, near the left, wjhere heavy entanglements had not been destroyed by the gunfire The 6th Ghurkas on the extreme. left, made a fin e advance and took two lines of trenches, but owing to the regiment on their right being hung up by tjhis wire, were eventually obliged to retire again to their original trenches. The 29th Division made good progress in the left centre, CAPTURING A STRONG REDOUBT and two lines of trenches beyond it, about 500 yards in advance of their original line. Territorials in the centre did brilliantly, advancing 600 yards and capturig three lines of trenches' but though the most advanced captured trench was held all day and half the night they . HAD TO BE ORDERED BACK in the morning to the second'captured line as both their Hanks were exposed. Th e naval division on the right centre captured a redoubt and a formidable line of trenches constructed in three tiers some 300 yards to their front, but were so heavily enfiladed when*'the French retired that they also had to come back to their original line. The French 2nd Division ADVANCED WITH GALLANTRY and elan, and retook for the fourth tira e that deadly redoubt they call the Haircot. Unfortunately*, the Turks developed heavy counter-attacks through prepared communication trenches, and under cover of accurate shell fire, wer e { able to recapture it. On the extreme right of the French line a French division captured a lino of tx’enches which, though counter-attacked twice during the night, they still hold. I have not yet heard details of tjhe casualties, but am afraid they are considerable. We captured four hundred prisoners, in eluding ten. officers. Five were Germans —the remains of a volunteer ma•bine gun detachment from the Goeben whose officer was killed and the machine gun destroyed. During the progress of the fight 1 received information from Anzac that ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS had been seen advancing from Maidos towards Krithia. Consequently Major Burwood arranged to attack th e trenches in front of Guinnes post at 10 p.m., which was successfully carried out and the trenches held during the night. The Turkish casualties were : heavy. At 6.30 a.m., however, the enemy heavily counter attacked, bombed our men out and captured the 1 trench with a new bomb of heavy description, though we still held the communicating trenches which had been constructed during the night, TO SUM UP, a good advance of at least 500 yards, including two lines of Turkish trenches, has been made along a front of nearly three miles in the centre of our southern section, but we are back to cur original right and left. We are making fresh efforts now to advance on the left to bring into line with the centre, though the Turkish position here is extraordinarily strong naturally, with a deep ravine on one side and the sea on the other. , (Signed) lAN HAMILTON.