_Sir Ian Hamilton reported, as published by the British Press Bureau
on July 6, the following details of the attack made by the Turks on
the night of 29th-30th June:_
About 2 A.M. searchlights of His Majesty's ship Scorpion discovered
half a Turkish battalion advancing near the sea northwest of Krithia.
Scorpion opened fire, and few of the enemy got away. Simultaneously
the enemy attacked the knoll we captured due west of Krithia,
advancing from a nullah in close formation in several lines. The
attack came under artillery and enfilade rifle fire, and the enemy
lost heavily. The foremost Turks got within forty yards of the
parapet, but only a few returned.
The Turks made several heavy bomb attacks during the night, our troops
being twice driven back a short distance. Early in the morning we
regained these trenches by bayonet attack, and they have since been
strengthened.
At 5.30 A.M. 2,000 Turks, moving from Krithia into the ravine, were
scattered by machine-gun fire. The operations reflect great credit on
the vigilance and accurate shooting of His Majesty's ship Scorpion.
The Turkish losses in the nullah and ravine are estimated at 1,500 to
2,000 dead.
About 10 P.M. on the 30th of June the Turks again attacked with bombs
a portion of the most northerly trench captured by us on 28th. An
officer of the Gurkhas being wounded, not dangerously as it turned
out, the men became infuriated, flung all their bombs at the enemy,
and then charging down out of the trench used their kukris for the
first time and with excellent effect. About dawn the Turks once more
attempted an attack over the open, but nearly the whole of these
attacking forces, about half a battalion, were shot down, and a final
bomb attack, though commenced, failed utterly.
Further reports from Australia and New Zealand Corps, as to the
enemy's attack on 29th-30th on our right flank, state that the action
commenced by very heavy fire from midnight till 1.30 A.M., to which
our men only replied by a series of cheers. The Turks then launched
their attack, and came right on with bayonet and bombs. Those who
succeeded in getting into our saps were instantly killed; the
remainder were dealt with by bomb and rifle fire from the 7th and 8th
Light Horse. By 2 A.M. the enemy broke, and many were killed while
withdrawing. The enemy's attack was strongest on his right. They were
completely taken aback by a concealed sap constructed well ahead of
our main line, and the dead are lying thickly in front of this. Some
got into the sap and several across it; all these were wiped out by
fire from the main parapet farther back.
Following the defeat of this attack, the enemy attacked at 3 A.M. on
our left, and 30 men came over the parapets in front of the right of
Quinn's Post. These were duly polished off. Prisoners brought in state
that three fresh battalions were employed in the main attack, which
was made by the personal order of Enver Pasha, who, as they definitely
assert, was present in the trenches on June 29. This is confirmed by
the statement of an intelligent Armenian prisoner captured on that
date. According to him, stringent orders were recently issued that no
further attacks were to be made, because if the Turks remained on the
defensive the British would be forced to attack, and would suffer as
severely as the Turks had hitherto suffered. But Enver Pasha, when he
arrived in the northern section, overrode this instruction, and orders
were received by the prisoner's regiment that the Australians were to
be driven into the sea.
On July 2, after a heavy bombardment of our advanced positions by high
explosives and shrapnel, lasting half an hour, the enemy infantry
advanced, but were driven back to the main nullah about a mile to our
front by the accurate shooting of His Majesty's ship Scorpion and by
our rifle and machine-gun fire. About 7 P.M. the Turkish artillery
recommenced their bombardment, under cover of which two battalions
emerged from the nullah to the northeast of our most advanced trench
and commenced an attack across the open, advancing in two regular
lines. At the outset very effective shrapnel fire from the 10th
Battery Royal Field Artillery caused great execution among the
attackers. Gurkha supports then advanced, and there being insufficient
room in trenches took up a position on some excavated earth in rear,
whence deadly rifle fire was poured into the advancing lines. Turkish
officers could be seen endeavouring to get their men forward, but they
would not face the fire and retreated in disorder after suffering
heavy casualties.
The ground in front of our trenches in every direction can be seen
covered with Turkish dead, and patrols sent out at night report that
the valleys and ravine are also full of them. There can be no possible
doubt that the enemy's losses have been very heavy. After checking and
counter-checking reports from all sources, I put down their total
casualties between June 28 and July 2 at 5,150 killed and 15,000
wounded. The number of killed is, therefore, approximately correct,
while the wounded is an estimate based partly on the knowledge of the
number already reported arrived at Constantinople, and on experience
of proportion of wounded to killed in previous engagements. Since June
29 the total amount of Turkish arms and ammunition collected is 516
rifles, 51 bayonets, 200 sets of equipment, 126,400 rounds of
ammunition, 100 bombs.
The following is an extract from captured divisional orders: "There is
nothing that causes us more sorrow, increases the courage of the
enemy, and encourages him to attack more freely, causing us great
losses, than the losing of these trenches. Henceforth commanders who
surrender these trenches, from whatever side the attack may come,
before the last man is killed will be punished in the same way as if
they had run away. Especially will the commanders of units told off to
guard a certain front be punished if, instead of thinking about their
work, supporting their units and giving information to the higher
command, they only take action after a regrettable incident has taken
place.
"I hope that this will not occur again. I give notice that if it does
I shall carry out the punishment. I do not desire to see a blot made
on the courage of our men by those who escape from the trenches to
avoid the rifle and machine-gun fire of the enemy. Henceforth I shall
hold responsible all officers who do not shoot with their revolvers
all the privates who try to escape from the trenches on any pretext.
Commander of the 11th Div., Colonel Rifaat."
To the copy from which this extract was taken the following note is
appended: "To Commander of the 1st Battalion. The contents will be
communicated to the officers, and I promise to carry out the orders
till the last drop of our blood has been shed. Sign and return.
Signed. Hassan, Commander, 127th Regiment. Then follow signatures
company commanders."