THE DARDANELLES

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1916, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

GENERAL MONRO'S MENTA' TURKISH ATTACK. OX THE DAY BEFORE EVACUATION. Wellington, Last Night. The High Commissioner reports, under date London, January 12, 1.50 a.m.: — General Monro states tiiat the Turks attempted a heavy attack on our lines at, Cape Helles on Friday. Our trenches were continuously shelled. The bombardment was intense and the Turks opened a heavy musketry fire. They sprang- two mine l , near the western Birdcage and Fusilier Bluff, and later lixed bayonets all along our front. Their officers were seen apparently endeavoring to make the men assault, but they were oi:I\- successful opposite Fifth Avenue ami Fusilier Bluff. The Slall'ordshires completely repulsed the attack, a large proportion of Turks being killed and wounded. Our casualties were five officers and 130 men killed and wommeu. Aeroplanes reported that our naval fire on the left flank was most, accurate, and it is probable that the enemy suffered considerably The night of January 7-S vols line for the evacuation, and the operations were being quietly and successfully continued. On Saturday there was a calm sea, but the weather suddenly became worse, and at 11 o'clock nt night the wind had increased to 3"i miles an hour. The Turkish artillery was pi.,.die«ll\' silent the whole night. The Turks fired red lights all along the line, opening a heavy shelling after davbrenk. The French embarkations were carried out by their navy.

MR. CHURCHILL'S DREAM. tiiilUlAX CO>iiiJiXT. Tx.idon, %t IIT flenusui newspapers, coim'.H'Jwtnj; on Gallipoli, say that Mr. Churchill's dream of a victorious march on Constantinople lias been destroyed. The failure of proud England and the evacuation means the release of large Turkish forces. Now that Russia lias been denied Constantinople her interest in the war should deelin; THE SEVEhTHS AMD HiuilTHi. KVAL'I'.ViJd.V OF CAPE HELLES.

ALL NEW ZEALAND I-.L..N., .vv.i.JJ. A MAGNIFICENT FEAT. YYellinglA.il, Last Might. (.Special from Malcolm iioso, Official New Zealand War Correspondent.) Cairo, .lan. 11. The iSeUMith and Eighth Reinforcements are joining .lite Main Body in the new camp. Six hundred Maoris who are cneampul in Cairo are in splendid fettle. Every precaution is being taken to secure the Canal against the threatened attack. All the Mew Zealand guns were got off the Peninsula, a team of horses being left to gallop in with the last gun on Sunday night. This was safely accomplished, and even the 'horses, which It was thought would have to be killed, were got off. The officer commanding was determined that no Mew Zealand gun should be exhibited at Constantinople/evon though some of t'flein, that were used against Crouje in the Boer war, were not worth saving.

The artillery are naturally proudi of this splendid feat. The gunners love their guns, especially those that thev brought with them" and fought with through the campaign. On December 17, when one sub-section left without a bullet having marked the howitzer, and when they thought it would have to be blown up, the limber gunner in charge broke down and cried. Two nights later this gun was got off by another section, and the gunners were delighted. It nitty be imagined that the successful evacuation of Helles puts the copingstone upon an operation unique in military annals.