GALLANT WORK

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 278, 3 May 1915, Page 5

GALLANT WORK

BY THE COLONIAL TROOPS, j DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY. J —. j 'i GUEEN ELIZABETH SINKS TURKISH TRANSPORT. 1 THE OFFICIAL REPORT. * Wellington, Yesterday. . Jim High Commissioner reports under ■■date London, April 30, 1,20 p.m.;— ■ I lie disembarkation of the anny for - ■ r the Dardanelles began before sunrise on bunday, six different beaches being used. ■■ ■ . 1 he operation was covered bv the whoift fleet, and the landing was immediately , > successful on five beaches, although our troops were opposed with vigor by the strongly entrenched enemy. The sueees- '; sive lines were protected by barbed wire 'entanglements, at some places fifty | yards wide, and supported by artillery, ' On the sixth beach, near Stdd el Bahr, ■>:' Our troops could not advance until the- , ■ Evening-, when a fine attack by British V~ f infnntry from, the direction of Oipe " Tel;eh relieved 'the pressure" on their . . front. Arrangements for tho landing ' were matters of the utmost concern, ■ the details being arranged between the ' fleet and the army, with the result thit ■ the first dny's operations saw the cstaiJi ,s 1 iinont of a strong" British, Australian, ■" iind. French: fire at three main points, ' ■namely, the Australian and New Zea- »' land troop:) on the fewer slopes o'f Sari Bair to north of GaT*i Tope, the British at. Cape Tokeli and Chpe Holies and near Morta Bay, and; the French on the Asiatic thore at Kum Riile.

A'ftur a. gallant attack towards Yani Shehr in the afternoon and strong counter attacks by the aneury began ha»d fighting.- ; The- disembarkation! of the army pro* cc-eded continuously, and was favored oy good, weather: At daybreak on Monday i ' the enemy waa still aoiding the village , ' and. position of Sedtt'.el Bahr, which has ! ' a labyrinth of caves, ruins, trenches, pits, and entanglements. Aided by thegunfire: of the fleet, this position wa» planned by the Brhi&Vi in frontal at- ; . taak's through the. undamaged wiro on- .' laßjsJomer.ts. \ tisdd el Bahr was tidten at about two ' : 6'il«ok in the afternoon, four pompoms being;-captured. The* «,Ination nt this end'of the Peninsula-was thus definitely fcaouned and disembarkation of the Fit-ach and BritishiifiJMos proceeded. ' On Tuesday morning; after repulsing a -Turkish attack upun the left towards Cape Ilelles, thbi- A4)'iC9 ady-aiiccd, and. jit > eight in the evening-established an entrenched line front'a paint two miles .north of Cape Te'kclufco a small plateau itliMc the Detotthhßattery. From this liiie an advance-has-since been made to t!*-ncighborhood.'«)feTKritiiaa. ': Meanwhile Australian auid New Zeatc.ad troops at Sari Bair, who had pushift on with the- utniflst boldnes*- ttfter '■■'"* landing on SuncUjr, Had' been engaged inmost constant]}', with tike enemy, who> iuado strong andii repeated counter-at-tacks, which wee*- invariably repulsed. The Au3ti-aUii'M and; New Zealand aoops fought \>ita*! flhe- spirit and de;ermination. Engly »a Tuesday mornng a fresh Ttn-ritshidlviaion was launchid against Sari Hairr preceded by heavy ; Artillery fire. ■ j A hot eng-sgenienti followed. * Tlic , ilcnemy came b.iiitj' time- after time, but jthe Australian-mud'. N'uw Zealand troops _ defeated every attempt and by three io the afternoon jibd'resumed the offensive. ~

I The FrcnclVitKiops, a.t Kum Kalo were | also four ti»i«B : istiw]gj.y counter-attack-ed on Monday, but; retained all the positions. Five ljtfidted; Tmrks, who, in tho course of otifeof those counter-attacks, were cut off Uy the fire of the fleet wero made prisoi .<#ts-. The operation, of landing the army in face of mo<ifern weapvms and in spite of wire entar.gJeitMuite, under the sea as ' well as land' mines and deep pits with, spikes at the bottom, has thus been accomplish^;. The Adfliiral: imparts the fleet is filled with intcage admiration at tho achievements of tfeeir; military comrades. Tho casualties, of the- fleet are not numerous, audi appear confined to destroyers and boutii&i' mwws engaged in landing ill' wKeh merchant captains, officers and' crews of tho transports also took punt*;. operations Turkish war« ships Ifpin- Nagura several times attempted to intervene, but always made oil' dhuutly tho Queen Elizabeth was at hand. At*, booji on Tuesday, however, % transport; of about 8(100 tons was reported! off Maidos. Before she could escap* the Queen Elizabeth opened fire. The third shot hit and destroyed her. . ' She sank rapidly, and her troops were not,soon. On Wednesday and Thursday tho, Allies; rested, improving; and consoliiftting their position and continuing tli». disembarkation of stores; and artillery: AIT counter-attacks of the enemy, wllich were incessant on Wednesday but weuker on Thursday, were repulsed. "•Tlte ft<*t, while aupportirrf the array, l)cgu» to engage the batteries, tho 'Triumph bombarding M&idos, which is lalire.

Tho King despatched, io Vice-Admiral <te Hobeck and General' Sir lan Hamilton the following message:—"lt is with intense satisfaction have heard the success which in face of determined resistance has attended She combined naval and military operations at the Dardanelles. Please convey to all ranks, including our allies, my hearty congratulations on this futeudid achievement."