_In a dispatch by George Renwick to The London Daily Chronicle, dated
at Lemnos, July 11, the following description of fighting, followed by
heavy Turco-German casualties, appeared:_
The heaviest fighting which has taken place on Gallipoli Peninsula
since the allied forces landed there began late on Tuesday and lasted
well into Wednesday. It resulted in a swing forward of the southern
line of the allied armies for five furlongs and in the infliction of
staggering losses on the enemy. Those who were in the battle place the
Turco-German casualties at 7,000 killed and from 14,000 to 15,000
wounded. Many prisoners were taken.
The whole army in the southern part of the peninsula was engaged, and
the Australians and New Zealanders further north also played a part.
The victory marks a definite stage in the initial work of throwing
forces around Achi Baba, which may now be described as one of the
strongest fortresses in the world.
The Allies had been resting in comparative tranquillity and the Turks
had evidently become persuaded the enemy was experiencing a shortage
of ammunition. This belief convinced them of the excellent opportunity
of driving the invaders into the sea. Late Tuesday night the first
signs of the enemy's movement were detected. No time was lost in
flashing a warning message to headquarters. The French were soon alert
and the artillery at that portion of the line against which the attack
was being prepared was quickly and strongly reinforced.
French and British machine guns were rushed to the front until a
perfect wall of heavy and light guns was in position. Then there came
a short interval of silence and waiting, almost oppressive. Suddenly
the stillness was broken by a tremendous burst of shells from the
Turkish guns, and for a time shrapnel poured down on the French front.
But the men were safely positioned in dugouts and little loss
resulted. From the strait loud booming began. The battered Goeben was
at work again, and during the bombardment she pounded our right with
some forty 11-inch shells. Many did not burst--they were apparently of
Turkish manufacture.
This hail of shells lasted just an hour and a half and was the
severest bombardment to which our lines have been subjected during the
weeks of struggle on the peninsula. No sooner had the heavy fire
ceased than great solid masses of Turks leaped forward to the attack.
On they came, the silence unbroken save for their shouts, until they
reached a point within sixty or seventy yards of the French position.
Then from 200 well placed machine guns a devastating answering fire
burst from our Allies' trenches, and the rifles joined in, 20,000 of
them. The big guns flared and cast a lurid light over the scene.