TO DRIVE BACK THE TURK
THE TWELFTH OF JULY--AN AFFAIR OF CONSEQUENCE--A TURKISH
DRIVE--ACCURATE ENEMY FIRE--"COME AND SURRENDER"--RAPID ENEMY
MOVEMENT--OUR PURPOSE ACHIEVED--A WONDERFUL PROCLAMATION, MADE IN
GERMANY
We had scores of little affairs of outposts, and our patrols enjoyed
some fine skirmishes and night encounters. None of them, however, quite
deserved mention in the official chronicle. But the affair of _July
12_--of "glorious and immortal memory"--was more important.
It began and coincided with an advance down south at Helles. The plan
of operations there was to seize the right and right-centre sections
of the foremost system of Turkish trenches, from the spot where the
Kereves Dere meets the sea to the main Seddel-Bahr--Krithia Road, a
front of about 2,500 yards. The object was to complete the driving
back of the Turks to their second system.
It was a double-barrelled attack, and was opened after the shore
batteries and the ships' guns had completed the preliminary
bombardment. The first phase was an assault by the French and our
155th Brigade, who captured the enemy's trenches after a splendid
charge. But they had to fight like grim death to withstand the fierce
counter-attacks which were made from the maze of Turkish trenches in
the vicinity. This done, the second phase was entered upon by the 157th
Brigade. They, too, after fierce fighting, gained their objective,
with the help of the Royal Naval Division. Meanwhile the French pushed
their extreme right on to the mouth of the Kereves Dere, where it runs
into the sea. The whole position was maintained, despite the persistent
counter-attacks of the Turk.
So much for the southern--and main--operation. Our rôle up north at
Anzac was so to harass the enemy that he would expect a big attack, and
so be unable to reinforce his comrades down south. The Australian and
New Zealand Army Corps early in the morning engaged the enemy, and
after our artillery had opened the ball, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade
advanced from the new position it had taken up at Ryrie's Post towards
the Turkish trenches. The 6th Light Horse (Colonel Cox) and the 7th
Light Horse (Colonel Arnott) sent a squadron over their trenches. The
troopers jumped on to the parapet with a cheer, and swarmed down the
hill to the comparative safety of the valley below. By a stroke of luck
not one man was hit in this charge, though they encountered a hail of
bullets. The Turks were too surprised to shoot straight. Later on the
enemy's shrapnel did much execution, but the only casualty in this
initial manoeuvre was when a trooper of the Sixth tripped over some
of our own barbed wire and rolled, kicking and swearing, down the hill,
to the huge delight of his comrades.
Pushing out over Holly Spur, towards Pine Ridge, the Light Horse
advance, under Lieutenant Ferguson, drove the enemy's patrols back and
opened a hot fire on their trenches. Meanwhile, to stimulate a general
attack, the parties were sent forward in full view of the enemy, and
withdrawn under cover to their original position. Long lines of
bayonets were seen passing along our trenches and disappearing at the
communication tunnels, thus lending additional colour to the idea
of a general attack. Further demonstrations by the 5th Light Horse
(Lieutenant-Colonel Harris) on the right wing provoked a wild fusillade
from the enemy, who promptly reinforced his position all along the
line, and the fusillade became general.
Most noticeable was the rapidity with which the Turkish--or
German--artillery came into action. Within three minutes of the
commencement of operations the Turkish shells were falling thick and
fast on Holly Ridge. They had the range to a nicety, and it was a
miracle how any of our advance parties escaped annihilation. As it was,
we had five killed and fourteen wounded. It is estimated that the Turks
fired two hundred rounds of shrapnel on the Light Horse position in one
hundred minutes. Our artillery was by no means idle. Colonel Rosenthal
concentrated a devastating fire on to the enemy's trenches and gun
emplacements. Our howitzers landed high explosives amongst the enemy's
reserves, while the enemy's guns battered our trenches. The roar of
the cannonade was terrific.
We did not know exactly how fared the infantry on our left, or the New
Zealanders further north. But we did know, by the rapid reinforcement
of the enemy's position, that our demonstration had achieved its
purpose.
One would like to mention all the acts of gallantry which were done on
this occasion. But no one saw them all. I was so busy dodging shrapnel
shells that I saw only a few. Anyhow, our chaps did not come with a
view to getting medals. Other gallant soldiers of the Seventh and Sixth
and Fifth will never get mentioned in dispatches.
After eight weeks on the inhospitable shores of Gallipoli, the Turks at
last took pity on the Australians. They promised us excellent treatment
and ample provisions. All we had to do was to "Come and surrender."
This cheery invitation was scattered broadcast over the Gallipoli
Peninsula by a German aeroplane. But the pilot was such a poor shot
that not one of the messages fell in the league-long trenches of the
Australians and New Zealanders. The wind wafted them all across into
the Turkish lines. But our friends next door (they are only ten feet
away in one place) wrote nasty messages on the papers and threw them
back into our lines.
It was a most interesting document, the one we received. It informed us
that the British Navy had abandoned us to our fate. Unfortunately for
the Turks, half a dozen warships and a flotilla of submarines were at
that moment thundering away at the Turkish batteries. Another bit of
news to the Australians was that "Greedy England made us fight under a
contract." Anyway, as we had not completed the contract we did not like
the idea of quitting the job.
However, here is the grandiloquent German-made proclamation:--
"_Proclamation to the Anglo-French Expeditionary Forces._
"Protected by a heavy fire of a powerful fleet, you have been able to
land on the Gallipoli Peninsula on and since April 25.
"Backed up by those same men-of-war, you could establish yourself at
two points of the peninsula. All your endeavours to advance into the
inner parts of the peninsula have come to failure under your heavy
losses, although your ships have done their utmost to assist you by a
tremendous cannonade, implying enormous waste of ammunition. Two fine
British battleships, _Triumph_ and _Majestic_, have been sunk before
your own eyes by submarine boats, all protective means against them
being found utterly insufficient. Since those severe losses to the
British Navy, men-of-war had to take refuge, and have abandoned you to
your own fate.
"Your ships cannot possibly be of any help to you in future, since a
great number of submarines are prepared to suppress them. Your forces
have to rely on sea transport for reinforcements and supply of food,
water, and every kind of war material. Already the submarines have
sunk several steamers carrying supplies for your destination. Soon all
supplies will be entirely cut off from your landed forces.
"You are exposed to certain perdition by starvation and thirst. You
could only escape useless sacrifice of life by surrendering. We
are assured you have not taken up arms against us by hatred. Greedy
England has made you fight under a contract. You may confide in us for
excellent treatment. Our country disposes of ample provisions. There
is enough to feed you well and make you feel quite at your comfort.
Don't further hesitate. Come and surrender.
"On all other fronts of this war, your own people and your allies, the
situation is as hopeless as on this peninsula. All news spread amongst
you concerning the German and Austrian armies are mere lies. There
stands neither one Englishman, nor one Frenchman, nor one Italian on
German soil. On the contrary the German troops are keeping a strong
hold on the whole of Belgium and on conspicuous parts of France since
many a month. A considerable part of Russian Poland is also in the
hands of the Germans, who advance there every day. Early in May,
strong German and Austrian forces have broken through the Russian
centre in Galicia. Przemysl has fallen back into their hands lately.
They are not in the least way handicapped by Italy's joining your
coalition, but are successfully engaged in driving the Russians out of
Galicia. These Russian troops, whose co-operation one moment you look
forward to, are surrendering by hundreds and thousands. Do as they do.
Your honour is safe. Further fighting is mere stupid bloodshed."
Lovers of peace will regret to learn that the hard-headed and ferocious
Australians rejected this kind invitation, and persisted in "stupid
bloodshed." Incidentally, it might be mentioned, most of the blood shed
was Turkish.
One other literary effort from our friend the enemy reached us about
the same time. It was issued by the Director of the Military Museum at
Constantinople, and was to the following effect:--
"The public are hereby informed that the 700 British mitrailleuses
and 300 French cannon captured during the battle of Ari-Bournu at
Gallipoli by our heroic troops, in the course of bayonet charges in
which they drove into the sea and drowned more than twenty thousand
of the enemy, will be on exhibit in the foreign gallery of the Museum
immediately after the cessation of hostilities."
This startling item of information was so unexpected that it made
us all long to get to Constantinople to see the trophies of Turkish
prowess. It was solely with this object in view that we began making
fresh preparations for a special trip to that city beautiful.