Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-09
WITH FIRING Line OF TURKISH FORCES ON THE
CALLIP0Ll PEN|NSULA OPERATING AGAINST ALLIES
INTERESTING STORY FROM EXPERT NE\NSP APER man
Allowed Go Anywhere He Desires with Assurance That Sit
uation of Turks Has No ecres in Its MakeUp-Leaders
Declare Conditions Most avorabe to Ottoman Forces

Correspondence Associated Press)
kirthia. Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
June 21.-To be for three days on the
firing line with the Ottoman forces
facing the Allies armies in this field of
operations is an experience which so
far, as is known only The Associated
Press correspondent has enjoyed up to
this time.
Field Marshal Liman Won Sandars
Pacha had previously indicated that
the situation of the Turks had no Sc
crets in its makeup. Essad Pacha,
commander Of the Ottoman North
Group. at this writing. holding in
check the British at Ari Bournow. was
willing also that the region under his
control be visited and Weber Pacha,
commanding the South Group, operat-
ing against the Allied force at Sid-el-
Bahr. merely asked what was desired
to be seen.
GO anywhere" said Weber Paeha.
Turkish right wing, left wing, center,
artillery positions firing-line-any-
where"
He summonded one Of his aides and
instructed him to take the correspon-
dent where ne wanted TO go.
In approaching Weber Pacha's camp
1t was demonstrated that it is as dan
gerous behind the modern front as in
the firing line The Allies were giving
much attention to a Turkish trench,
shot high, missed the trenches. with
the result that the bullets by that
time almost totally spent, flew over
the summit and hummed past the
heads of the party.
1t was go P NJ. when the camp
was reached. General Weber had been
taking nap, but accepted an unin-
tended interruption good naturedly.
mo objection at ALL" said Weber
Pacha, after he had read letter from
Liman Pacha, in which the correspon-
dent was given permission to visit the
North and South Groups-provided
their commanders had no objection.
Then followed the part of the con-
versation already given.
The situation was most favorable to
the Ottoman forces, he continued. Had
1t not been that the Allied ships liter
; ally overwhelmed the peninsula with
artillery fire during the landing opera
tons, not a single British or French
soldier would have set foot ashore.
But for days and days the Allied
ships had bombarded every square
yard on the southern extreme of the
peninsula making it impossible to
move the Ottoman troops, without ex
posing them to almost instant ami
hilation. But day after day the Turks
dug more trenches and improved them.
~ hot 1n In nd
ran into a wall of Turkish pluck and
endurance.
. In those days Weber Pacha was in
command Of the Ottoman forces be-
hind Kun kale. Here the French
tried their luck. General Weber forced
them back. The operations against
the Asiatic side at Kun Kale were no
feint. Weber Pacha has in his pos
session the General Order" of the
French landing troops. Kun Kale
and its neighborhood were to be taken
and held at all cost in order that the
Turkish batteries in that locality
might be captured. 1t was feared
these these batteries would prove a
thorn in the side Of the Allied troops
at Sid-el- Bahr: because they could
y
Gay. the position on the Allied right
wing.
The French failed to hold Kun Kale,
because the Turkish batteries moved
down everything on the ground held
by the French troops. and the Ottoman
infantry waded in with the bayonet in
: a manner which not even the French,
no mean performers with the bayonet
themselves, could stand. So they re-
embarked and went to Sid Bahr,
where today, they form the Allied
right wing and are almost daily sub
, jected to a CALLING fire by the Turkish
batteries they were to silence. At any
rate the British forces form the left
wing at Sid ell Bahr, which is out of
effective reach of the Turkish Kun
kale" batteries.
Early in May, General Weber was
transferred to command the South
Group of the Ottoman forces of GAL
lipoli.
About four in the afternoon the first
visit to the actual -el-Bahr front
was made by The Associated Press
correspondent. The route taken led
across a stretch of country on which
the Allied ships and land artillery
have thrown tens of thousands Of shot
and shrapnel. For miles the earth is
SCARED with the holes and burrows of
exploded projectiles. Fragments Of
steel are almost as common as rocks
on New England field. Within a
few square yards one can find parts Of
projectiles of every calibre and des-
cription--from the three-inch shells Of
field artillery to the 15-inch giants Of
the superintendent Queen Eliza
beth. Some Of the holes torn into the
ground are large enough to completely
hide several men on horseback. Des-
pite this whitening fire the Ottoman
troops held their ground
The spirit of the Turkish soldiers in
this position was excellent. The men
were resting on the ground when the
party approached. Instantly they
were on their feet. A lusty 'mer-
haba" came from hundreds Of strong
, Threats. To an inquiry how they felt,
the men replied with a sincere: VERY
good SIR" and smiling faces, despite
the shrapnel which kept on coming.
and the spent Allied rifle balls which
hummed above their heads.
: We're not afraid Of the English and
French" said several to whom the
question implied was put.
Now comes a part of the annroa ch