The Dardanelles

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 1 May 1915, Page 5

The Dardanelles

HAMMERING THE HELLES- ( PONT. WARSHIPS' EFFECTIVE WORK. THE FORTS SILENCED. LAND BATTERIES LANDED. LOWER CALLIPOLI CAPTURED, Received April 30, 11 p.m. London, April 30. . The Daily Chronicle's Mitylene correspondent says the most powerful fleet ever engaged in warlike operations commenced to hammer the Hellespont defences down on Sunday. There was no cessation at night. The darkness was lighted up by the flashing searchlights and the thunder of the guns was heard at Mitylene.

The correspondent reached Babbit Island on Monday and witnessed the bombardment. Tremendous columns of smoke at midday poured out of Kum Kale. Then the village of Yenishchu was ablaze. The tall columns of smoke showed the effectiveness of the fire upon the Narrows, where small ships were directing the fire of the battleships upon Kilid Bahr and.Chanak forts. The largest battleships lay on the European side of the entrance. There were often twenty discharges j;o the minute. To the left of the entrance was a line of transports.

The bombardment was more intense in the afternoon. New fires broke out at several points on the Asiatic shore. One shell took a huge mass of masonry

from the cliffside at Kum Kale. It was evident all resistance was ended, for tlw battleships lifted their lire higher mi the strait to Seddul Bahr fort, which Vvas utterly knocked to pieces. Then two French warships took up the game. By four o'clock the firing was at its maximum, particularly from t!-e battleships in Erenkeni Bay. The Turkish guns did not rely seriously until the mid-afternoon.

The Allies' artillery landed at Cape Helios, but was driven back' by the battery near Seddul Bahr. As the battery was retiring the battleships found the range.

The Turks bravely stood to their guns, and fired three shots at the warship", which replied with seven shots. When the smoke cleared off there was no sign of life near the battery. The Turks were much more active with their aartillery under cover of nighV. There was another Turkish battery stationed on the road leading from Kum Kale to Erenkeni. The ships found the range. The Turks limbered up and retreated to Erenkeni, followed by shells, leaving dead men and fragments of guns on the roadway. The Queen Elizabeth, standing well off shore, assisted in silencing the batteries of Sakihisarlek. The Allies on Monday evening were in complete possession of the cxtrcii'C tongue of the Gallipoli Peninsula and the flat shores of Suvili Bay.

FRENCH CAPTURE 8000 TURKS. A COMIC RUSE. KXABLES BIG FORCE TO LAND. AVIATORS DO GOOD WORK. Received May 1, 1.35 a.m. Tenedos, April 30. On Thursday the demonstration made by landing on the Plain of Troy enabled the French to capture 8000 Turks, including their German officers. Not a few of the Turks were suffering from revolver wounds from the German officers driving them to the attack, or desperately endeavoring to prevent their retreat. One landing was effected by a comic ruse. Covered by the victorious fire of five battleships, a thousand donkeys with dummy baggage and mounted air- ] guns landed at a certain spot. The Germans immediately diverted a strong force. Meanwhile, the real landing was effected at a distance up the coast. The donkeys were annihilated, but a strong force-of British was established across the,, narrowest part of the. peninsula, and cut off the Turkish garrisons between Kilid Bahr and Cape Helles. Aviators rendered valuable assistance, in locating tits- Turkish positions and destroying the Seamander bridge neaiExine and &i fcirge depot at Aroe Ezine.

AUSTRALIA IMPATIENT. FOiS NEWS OF AUSTRALIANS. PROTEST TO THE HOME AUTHORITIES. s Received April 30, 11.20 p.m. Melbourne, April 30. In tlie House of Representatives Mr. Fisher, replying to pressing demands for further information of the doings of the Australians in Turkey, said he had asked the Imperial authorities to supply information at the earliest date, which would be made public as soon as it arrived, but the Government must stand by the British Army authorities and observe all their wishes, and refrain from saying what they wished unsaid. in the Senate, Senator O'Kaefe urged that they should make an immediate protest to the British authorities against . tho presont system of censoring news about the Australians in the Dardanelles. The incongruities of the censorship were causing great anxiety. Mr. Pearce (Minister for Defence) replied that no exoept was possible to the strict censoring of the news till the troops had reached their objective. The Government, however, objected to the news appearing in British and European papers and being censored out of Australian papers. Tho matter would be brought under the notice of the Imperial authorises, _,-

FIERCE BATTLE REPORTED. A BATTALION CAl'-TUUEI). TWELVE HOURS BOMBAKDU FAT. London, April "29. Greece reports that there-was ft fierce battle on Wednesday at Suvia Hay, in which the Turks had heavy losses. The Allic- captured an entire battalion. Athens, April '29. The British forces are operating on the European coast and the French on the Asiatic side of the- Dardanelles. Tuesday's bombardment lust twelve hours, and was mostly against the Kilid Bahr forts at the Narrows. It is reported from Yolo that the portion of the Australian troops who were participating in the Dardanelles operations disembarked on Tuesday arid were immediately installed in the batteres on the coast.

SUPPRESSION OF NEWS. LONDON NEWSPAPERS' COMPLAINT. Received April SO, 11.4-0 pm. London, April 30. The newspapers complain that they are not allowed to know the details of theAustral'ar.j and New Zealanders'gallantry in the fighting at the Dardanelles, but which has .been published in Australasia. PRESS COMMENTS. DEVOTION OF DAUGHTER NATIONS. PURCHASE OF MEAT. Received April '3O, 10.30 p.m. London, April 30. The Times, in a leader regarding the Government's congratulations to the Commonwealth, says that the Australians' gallantry was very grateful news to the British people. Nothing has moved the Mother Country more than the devotion of her daughters, and the nations can see in it the best auguries for those loftly ideals —spiritual and traditional—of the race. Britishers •want to know why the news which was available in Melbourne and Wellington was not announced in London. The Daily Mail complains that Britain has not yet been allowed to hear anything of the Australians and New Zealanders' magnificent services at the Dardanelles.