SUVLA LANDING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

SUVLA LANDING.

graphic dutch account. A graphic account is to hand describing for the first time from the enemy's point of view the «roat successful British landing in Suvla Hay. It is noteworthy for two tilings—first, the further proof of the magnificent plans which enabled the landing to be carried out as a complete surprise; second, that it discloses the absolute dependence of ttic lurks on their German leaders in the defence of their capital. There are clear indications, tbo, that the event has led to bitter recrimination by the Germans against the conduct of their Allies.

I he despatch is sent by the Constantinople correspondent of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant. and dated September 1. Following are the quotations: — "For more than throe weeks fighting has been going on in the peninsula of Gallipoli—fighting such as lias never been known before. It is indescribably terrible, far more pitiless than in any of the other theatres of war. This is"the united opinion of the (Jerman officers who have served on the different fronts, east and west, and have been transferred to the Dardanelles in order to apply their experience to the defence of the entrance to the Turkish capital. On the night of August 0-7 the British surprised the Turks in such a way that it again becomes sharply evident to what extent everything depends in the defence of the Dardanelles upon the Germans, and how little the Turks, notwithstanding their and fearlessness, can be left to themselves. COMPLETE SUCCESS.

"The night was dark and rainy. At two points the British landed great masses of troops without having been noticed until the forces had advanced some kilometres inland. In order to draw oft attention from these landings, about a regiment of colonial troops landed at Knrachli. and attempted to advance to tile oast, with the object of getting back at the back of the posiion at Bulair, which cuts oil' the peninsula in the north. This expedition was soon noticed, and the force was driven hack to the shore. Towards morning the party re-embarked, with a loss of about 40 iVijen, after having received news that the landing of the chief forces at Suvla Bay, which was the real object, had been completely successful. The defenders in no way expected a landing at this point. There was therefore upon the height only half a regiment, with a battery of machine guns, and on the shore an outpost of about 50 men.

"On this night, as it happened, officers and non-commissioned officers were absent upon other service, and the Turks kept watch very badly—a fact, perhaps, not unconnected with the last week of Ramadan. They none of them noticed anything of the approach of the tleet—at least, of the transport ships with the necessary convoy of warships, destroyers and boats—or the landing' of about 3000 men, with artillery and supplies, before this force had surprised the village of Anafarta. destroyed the watch there, and advanced quickly inland. " NO QUARTER."

"When this was noticed 011 the rocky breastworks above, the British had already dug themselves well in, and could not be driven off with the weak forces at the disposal of the Turks. Neither could anything be done to prevent a further landing, so that on the afternoon of the 7th, when the Turkish reinforcements arrived, they saw collected on th« shore more than 40,000 troops, continually being reinforced by the ceaseless arrival of transport ships from "Lemnos. Many a German oflicer at the front has said, with a deep feeling of bitterness, that if in that night there had been one German soldier or sailor on watch not a single 'Britisher would have landed, and tens of thousands of lives would have been saved."

Describing the fighting which followed in the Turkish attempt to drive the British from the positions won.on August 11-12, the writer says: "The Turks executed an attack which can only be described as frightful. From 3 o'clock in the afternoon throughout the whole night and the following morning the fighting went on, man against man. No quarter was given in this furious hand-to-hand battle, and corpses have been found in heaps of men who were locked together in the struggle. In the three following days more than 17,000 wounded Turks arrived, Constantinople schools and hotels having to 'be speedily evacuated to make room for them."