THE SUVLA LANDING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 280, 25 August 1915, Page 3

THE SUVLA LANDING.

BRILLIANT PIECE OF WOBK. THE ENEMY SURPRISED. LONDON, August 23. The Athens correspondent of the Daily Chronicle says that the lanu v .g at Suvla was the most brilliant work yet carried out during the war, and the battle foDowing the highly successful disembarkation was the most stubborn and most sanguinary yet fought at the Dardanelles. Compared with Giiba Tepe, Suvla 's brilliance lies in another direction, though its immediate consequence was a fierce and losg struggle wheh brought out all that was best in the fighting qualities of the British troops. The point about this latest acliievemen is that it was a complete and

staggering surprise. The Turks had anticipated a new attack on the Asiatic side and had feverishly fortified the coastline as far south as Point aßba. Demonstrations made'had strengthened the belief in our intentions. Then suddenly came the news that a great force had landed at Suvla. Never in military operations has an enemy been so completely hoodwinked. The utmost secrecy was I preserved, even amongst the high offi- ' cers. The various units composing the landing force departed from several bases, unknown to each other. On the appointed night, the stars "lone witnessed this strange armada in the calm Aegean waters —warships, transports, destroyers, and trawlers steaming to their destination. They arrived at Suvla Bay in the still darkness. It was a stirring picture. Every description of ship was packed with soMfers, and composed the largest force ever yet thrown from the sea directly on a hostile country. Hardly had the anchor found a resting-place when hundreds of small boats, pinnaces, and launches were making swiftly and silently for the .shore. Every soldier carried three days' rations. As they landed they formed up and advanced on both sides of the salt lake, which, during the summer, is a heat-baked, salt-crusted, uneven desert. Daylight came with the work stilL proceeding with the greatest speed. Artillery and supplies in vast quantities were landed without opposition on the northern section.

The great force moved in a southeasterly direction, and the southern section south-easterly towards the left Anzac line. The only Turks on the spot were an observation post of fifty men, who surrendered to the first-com-ers. No enemy was reported until almost night, when the advanced forces were six miles inland. During the day the enemy had been informed of our coup, and forces rushed to the spot. The second night saw an extraordinarily weird picture. The Turks and British had -come within striking distance, and both made preparations to oppose further advance allong the extended lines. The opponents desperately dug trenches, made gun positions, and erected entanglements, and here and there little battles were fought. Bodies of

Turks sometimes rushed out in an en

deavour to obtain a more suitable section of ground. Then the Britishers dropped their entrenching tools and silently wiped out the attackers with their bayonets. On other occasions they would seize rifles and advance cautiously and annihilate some group. Such fights punctuated the long night. It is estimated that during the darkness the Turks brought up 70,000 men. The second morning's dawn saw a terrific battl-3 begin. The scene of the struggle was beyond effective help from the ships. Teh Turks threw strong bodies against several points in our line, but were driven back. Then the British counterattacked. The heat was great, and the only protection was the stunted bushes, small boulders and small groups of dead men wf*h mounds of used cartridges beside thorn—both Turks and British.—telling ..f the last stand wherein all that heroic men can know of valour had ben exhausted, it was costly work, especially for the Turks, despite their numerical superiority and the advantage of higher ground. All-' day long the two lines turned and twisted and turned again, but neither broke. Our artillery was magnificent, and the work of the machine guns particularly deadly. Sandy ravines were quickby transformed into veritable fortresses, raked and re-rak-ed with a ferocious fire, taken and retaken with stupendous courage. Behind terrible scenes of carnage the men worked at strengthening their positions, tending and carrying off the wounded.

The Turks massed and frequently penetrated the trenches where the British were digging. Fights with spades and bayonets ensued. Often in these melees rifles were fired at a distance of inches, and grenades used with frightful effect. Thick clouds of choking dust added enormously to the hardships.

The third night came with relief stv coolness, but littJb rest. The trenchdiggers worked solidly while the enemy launched attack after attack. Ewas driven back with hideous . enemy losses. On Sunday the British line, unbroken, was strengthened and launched a heavy attack on the enemy's left flank, who were routed in disorder with exceptionaly severe losses.

Duringt ho isuvla ope* <tions, the Australians and New Zea>mdcrs. t' the southward, had been heavily en""Sed. and the nttack by the forces on the right, and the Anzac forces on the left was so successful that a junction was effected, resulting in a twelve miles continuous battle line. Through this line passes one of the main routes for the supply of the Turkish forces, facing the AngloFrench on the south. Turkish communications therefore are seriously threatened. The enemy's other road eastward is inferior for artillery, :itv even this is now under our artiMery fire, which can also sweep Bokallillet stretching east and west from Suvlr and Anzac to near Nagara. The battlefield presented an pwfV sight. But a feature was the rapidit"

wherewith the wounded were carried

off. Rifles, ammunition cases, packs, provisions, and other grimmer remaim made a horrible litter, while the horrror was increased by the enemy funerai pyres. The Turks lost at least 27,000, four-fold our losses.