ATTACK ON THE COLONIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1915, Page 5

ATTACK ON THE COLONIALS.

Our Men Repulse Enemy Everywhere Turks How On Defensive By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.

RECENT COLONIAL ATTACK.

FIVE SUBMARINES THROUGH THE STRAITS.

OPENS WITHOUT SUCCESS. REINFORCEMENTS BRING VICTORY. HEAVY TURKISH LOSSES. Received June '23, 9 p.m. Cairo, June '2.1. Official: The Turks between 7 and S o'clock in the evening of June 1!) expended 430 high explosive shells on our left centre, but their attack failed and degenerated into a fire action. On the same evening one of our brigades attacked a Turkish trench, but was unsuccessful. The Turks counterattacked and effected a lodgment on an awkward salient of our line. As the brigade was unable to recover, the ot'i Royal Scots and a company of the Worcestcrs went to their help. The attack was ably organised and brilliantly and successfully carried out. Prisoners state they expected their bombardment would have cleared us out, and- were greatly disappointed at the small impression made, though our j trenches w.ere much damaged. There were three hundred dead Turks , in front of one of our brigades, and a low estimate plaees the total dead at a thousand. I

TURKISH TROOPS HELD UP. Received June 23, J 1.45 jj.ni. Athens, June 23. It is reported that five Allied submarines entered the Sea of Marmora and prevented the concentration of fresh Turkish troops at the Dardanelles. The struggle lor the Straits continues. FRENCH BEFORE GALLIPOLI. A DAY OF HEAVY FIGHTING. TWO LINES OF TRENCHES TAKEN. Received June 23, 8.20 p.m. n „. . . Cairo, June 23. UHiCMI: After twenty-four hours of heavy and continuous lighting on Monday the I'l'cnch captured the first and second lines of trenches at Gullipoli along practically the whole of their iront. A , , , IVis, June 22. A despatch to Lc Journal des Di-bats says that the Allied fleets on Mondavi bombarded Gallipoli. There..were immense flames in different parts'of the town and it was believed that the munition docks and several military warehouses were on fire. " I

Received June 2:!, 7.3.") p.m. London, June 21). Mr. Aslunead Bartlett (the war correspondent at the Dardanelles) writes: General von SanderH, in attempting to carry out his threat to drive the Britishers into the sea, received another hiding on May 18 from the Australians and New Zealanders, resulting in Turkish losses of at least seven to eight) thousand as compared with live hundred colonials killed and wounded. The ground occupied by the Australians and New Zealanders consists of two semi-circles of hills, the outer higher than the inner, rising six hundred feet in some places. A great valley, called Shrapnel Valley, runs north-east up the centre of the position, dividing it in two sectors, both of which comprise broken ground consisting of lesser hills and deep gullies eovereu with thick shrubs or earth of the, color of sandstone. The position facing north is called Walker's Ridge, and following a diameter of the defence around until it again strikes the coast to the south you are introduced to Pope's Hill, Dea l Man's Ridge, Bloody Angle, Ouinn's Post, Courtnay Spot, MeLanrin's Hill, Johnstone's Gully, Scott's Point. Bolton's Hill, and Point Rosenthal. "Within the perimeter are positions, including l'luggtr's Plateau and Monash Gully. The Turks are entrenched almost around the position, except where the ships' guns keep them oil' the coast. Generally the trenches are north and north-east, and higher than those of the I colonials, while those south and southeast are lower. The average distance I between the trenches is two hundred ' yards, sometimes a quarter-mile, and I sometimes twenty yards. The Turks are strongly entrenched between Walker's ! Ridge and Pope's Hill, and can snipe all going up the valley. The position of the Australians and New Zealanders resembles a prosperous mining camp. There are good roads from the foreshore, banked where they are exposed to shrapnel and snipers, and every section of the position is self-contained, with unlimited supplies of ammunition.

COLONIALS IN ACTION. ACCOUNT OF RECENT I'I'GHTJNG. ABUSE OF RED T'ROSS FLAC?. ri t London, June 22. Renter's correspondent at the Dardanelles, under date May 22, sa\is lie visited trenches of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which repelled the Turkish attack on the 18th. The opposed lines are mostly from 50 to 200 yards apart. The scene can only he viewed by a periscope, and even then one must be .prepared to have the instrument smashed by snipers' fire directly they see it. The Turkish dead are every where a few yards from the trenches, in some places too thick to count. The fighting was hottest in two parts of the trenches called Quinn's Post and The Pope's Head. The hitter is a liili 450 feet high, forming an island in the line of trenches, separated by a deep gully on each side from the rest of the line. This is a paradise for Turkish snipers. The attack began at midnight with a bombardment of unprecedented vigor with shells of all calibres. It was literally'impossible. to put a head out of the dugouts till the hail of shrapnel abated, but the damage was slight. Heavy rifle fire followed, aiul at 3 o'clock in the morning there was an attack in force on the whole line. The main objective was Quinn's Post. At some points the Turks reached the trenches and were shot down. Many were actually killed in the trendies. The attacks were repeated at short intervals with the same disastrous results.

The enemy made a last grand attack at mid-day on the 19 th. There w |another thundering (bombardment • by every type ol' projectile, but our casualties were sin;rti!arly few. The Turks again gallantly attacked Quinn's Post, but withered away before the blast of rifle and maxim fire. Prisoners said that the Turks brought up a fresh division for this attack. Apparently half were sacrificed. After t'.io battle a Turkish officer, with a doctor and stretcher-bearers, appeared facing the Australian and New Zealand trenches. The Australian divisional commander went out and met them. They asked for an armistice to remove the dead and wounded. As night was approaching and the enemy's trenches were seen bristling with double rows of armed men, the divisional commander said Jie had 110 power to arrange an armistice, and suggested that the Turks should renew the application in the morning. Meanwhile lie would resume hostilities in ten minutes. Thereupon the party withdrew. Apparently the Turks intended to take advantage of the suspension of artillery fire to mass men in the'trenches. Later, under cover of the humanitarian activity of the doctors in (he space between tiie lines, masses advanced with fixed bayonets behind a screen of soldiers without weapons, who held up their hands as if to surrender. The Australians detected the ruse, and rifle* and guns spoke all along the line, and the Turks paid dearly for the attempt to abuse the Bed Cross flag.

Wherever General von Sanders attempts to attack, the British are obliged to leave a high proportion of the forces lacing the colonials, otherwise they might cut his communications. Accordingly on May IS General von Sanders determined to make a final effort at Gaha Tope, and he, brought up live fresh regiments and personally directed, the operations. When the "twelve-inchers," "iiiue-.inchcrs," and howitzers were added to the bombardment by liehl guns H was evident that all attack was coming. The enemy's machine-guns opened fire from the Turkish position at the head of the Monash Gully, and a hill seven hundred feet high. The (ire was chiefly directed on Quion's Post. Under cover of machine-guns, Turkish snipers from Monosh Gully crept forward until (heir line was established. They oll'ered a splendid target. When the Turks assaulted at three o'clock they were repulsed within an hour. A series of attacks were then delivered on Quiim's Post and Courtcnay's Post", but they faded under our ride-fire delivered aldose range. The Turks left piii-s jf dead in front of the trenches.

Tin l Turks at dawn on the lOtli opened a tierce bombardment of our trenches between six and nine o'clock, and delivered a series of desperate attacks oil Quinu's and t'ourtenay Tost, but not a Turk set foot on the colonial trenches, although hundreds were shot dead within a few yards of the trenches. The Turks by ten o'clock bewail to rotire under ,u deadly live from our held guns and howitzers, and were contented with slll jiil1 lt for the rest of the day. A! lesl passed against the coloniaU" position, and probably a third w ere willed out. They attacked bravely enough, bill showed signs that they were acting iindei* compulsion. They showed no confidence in success, and made four or liv:« efforts at some places, all of which failed dismaltv.

"GET THEM. BOYS!" Colonials mow tvrks down. Tin: SFIIMT OF 'nil'. SOLDIFIiS. I Times and Sydney Sun Sen ices.) Received dune 'Jli, p.m. London, .lune '22. Air. Frank Belaud. mi Australian journalist, gives an ie-tance of the Ins spirit, of the A'.-'lralians and New at. the Dardanelles. At three in the morning roinioiycmcnis of tie; enemy were making a general attack, und their machine ;<nns bad ceased firing bullets living over high, and observers reported the enemy advancing en masse, '•(let them, hoys!" said a platoon oHirer, calmly. For hours our rilles had been barking ('r.nii loophole,-., and now the nun rose '.villi ilirir slimilders to the parapet and jostled for places, and they laughed like happy children as (hey saw (he ci7i et of their (ire. When I lie rifles ran lie! the support.-, would ipT.dgingly hand up their own, with an imploring iv ,aark, "Come down, Hill; let ;ue l.a'.e a shot." Then Hill, very angry: 'Don't pull ul. my leg. you silly josser; you made me mi a liig blighter not fifty yards oil'" The Turks were down Itnd demoralised, and the remaining Tint- .'rtdvd int<> a:-L .idjoiniiig g.ilL.

The ground viewed through a trench periscope presents an extraordinary spectacle. Turkish dead were lying in groups of twenty or thirty as if in mutual protection. Smile were |mng up in our barbed "wire, and others were bayoneted on the parapets. Hundreds of wounded must have perished betweea (ho lines. The Australians and New Zealanders Mere delighted, feeling that they had mauv scores to wipe out m revenge. The work of the colonials exceeded the utmost/expectations. There are now signs that Iho Turks intend Ift remain strictly on tiie defensive. being weary of being driven to ■daughter liy (.'ennan masters. 'iSusinoss men, will) are usually keen judges of tea, and very fastidious about llavov, appreciate tho geucrul excellence nf ; 'l)esert fiold" Tea. Toft this Tin TO-DAY. t