The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-15
TURK Loss HEAVY
BRITISH CAPTURE SARI BAIR
BUT ARE DRIVEN BACK
WAIS BLOODIEST BATTLE

Slaughtering 5000 Turks in
Trenches-Failure of Corps to Co
operate Allowed Defenders to
Sweep Co,onials From Heights.
A special cable to The New York
Times describes the recent fighting
on Gallipoli peninsula. The writer,
Ellis Ashmead-Bsrtlett, is a CORE
spondent of The London Morning
Post. Says his account:
Since the great battle, the greatest
fought on the Gallipoli peninsula,
closed on the evening Of August 10,
both armies have been busily engag-
ed in consolidating their new posi-
tons, in taking stock of gains and
losses, repIenishing their ammunition
and munitions, and reorsanizing the
divisions, brigsdes and battalions
which of necessity become intermln-
gled in this rugged mountainous
country.
Since my last cabling I have had
time to visit the ground over which
the Anzac corps advanced in its des-
perate efforts, extending over four
consecutive days, to reach the crest
Of Sari Bair, commanding the ridge
overlooking the Dardanelles. The
New Zealand infantry, the Gurkhas,
and. some other battalions almost
reached the objective, but were
unable, through no fault OF their
own, to hold their position. A bat
TALON of Gurkhas actually reached
the crest of the plateau, but the
Turks, taking advantage Of the con-
fusion, counter-attacked in great
force, ard the gallant men from the
hills were driven from the crest to
lower spurs beneath.
It was a bitter disappointment to
have to relinquish the crest when it
almost seemed to be within their
grasp after so many months, but
there was no alternative. The Anzac
corps fought like lions and accom-
plished feat Of arms in climbing
these heights almost without par
aIle,. All through, however, they
were handicapped by the failure of
the corps to make good its positions
on the Anafarta hills, farther north,
and thus check the enemy's shell
fire.
When ali the details Of these COM
plicated arrangements are collected
ard sifted, they will form one OF the
most fascinating pagessof the history
of. the whole war. It was a combat
of giants in a giant country, and if
e%o DO 0,,&
other it is the marvellous hardihood,
: tenacity, and reckless courage shown
: by the Australians and New Zealand
ers.
In order to enable the forces; de-
! tailed for the main movement for
ward, which it was hoped, would
lead to the occupation of the Sari
Basr position from Chunk Bahr
through @ Hill to Koja Chemon Tepe,
1t was necessary to attract the enc
my's attention toward the south and
force him to keep his troops IN front
( Of our lines in position while the
main force debouched from the An
zac position on Lone Pine-a position
situated on e plateau four hundred
feet high, southeast of the Anzac
lines.
The Australians rushed forward to
the assault with the fury Of fanatics,
taking little heed of the tremendous
shrapnef fire and enflading rifle ire.
Z. On reaching the trenches the great
difficulty was to force q way IN, Tor
the cover was so strong and heavy 1t
had to be torn away by main force.
Groups Of men effected entrances at
various points and jumped in on top
OF the Turks. who fought furiously,
caught as they were in trap. Some
surrendered, but the majority chose
10 die fighting. In every trench and
! sap and dugout desperate hand-to-
hand fighting took place, four lines
Of trenches being captured in sue
cessio1, and fresh infantry being
poured in as the advancing lines were
thinned by losses.
In this fighting bombs played the
most important role, and it was only
By keeping up and increasing the
supply that the Australians were able
TO hold the position after it had beeu
won. The Turks maSsed their force,
and for three nights and days made
desperate counter-attacks, frequently
retaking sections of the line, only to
{ be driven out again.
In this extraordinary struggle.
which took place almost under
ground, both sides fought with utter
disregard Of Life. The wounded and
dead choked the trenches almost to
the top, but the survivors carried on
the fight over heaps of bodies. In
spite Of immense reinforcements with
mcst determined courage the Aus
trahans held the ground thus won,
and finally the Turks wearied Of the
struggle.
The trenches were now merely bat
tered shambles, and the task of re-
moving the dead and wounded took
days to accomplish. The bodies OF
<one thousand Turks and Colonials
were removed from the trenches
alone, while hundreds Of others lie
outside. The total Turkish losses in
this section alone are estimated at
FIVE thousand, chiefly incurred in
furious counter attacks, among which
each bomb burst with fearful effect
This capture Of Lone Pine is the
most desperate hand-to-hand fight
that has taken place on the PENN
suia, but this was but diversion and
preliminary to the main movement
northward, which began the same
evening under cover Of darkness. No
finer feat has been accomplished in
the course of tie war than the man
ner In which the troops destined for
the main movement against Sari Bair
ridge were deployed for the attack.
Millions Of rounds of ammunition
and thousands Of shells were success
fully concentrated at advance posts
without the enemy becoming aware
Of the movement. Neither did he
know of the strong rejnforcements
which had reached the Australian
CORPS, All this required the utmost