Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-21
BRITISH WITHDRAW
. FROM PORTIONS Of
GA[L|POL| FRONT
All Troops at Suvla and An
Zac Are Successfully
Transferred.
CHANGE is MADE WITH
INSIGNIFICANT LOSSES
Operations in Other Sectors Are
to Be Continued With
out Let-Up.
TURKS IGNORANT OF MOVE
Evacuation Ends Most Unfortunate
Chapter Of English Arms
i'm This War.
TURKS IGNORANT OF MOVE
Evacuation Ends Most Unfortunate
Chapter Of English Arms
in This War.

LONDON. December 2O-rhc British
troops at the Suvla and Anza. districts
of Gail!poli Peninsula have been with
drawn.
The following official statement vas
issued here to-day
All the troops at Suvla ana Auzac,
together with their gums AMI stores
have been successfully transferred.
with insignificant casualties to another
sphere OF operations
operati in other sectors OF the
front on the 'iallpoli Peninsula than
those from which troops were am
nounccd today to have been with
drawn are To be continued. il is inti-
mated in an official statement issued
tonight. The withdrawal was effected
without knowledge OF the movement
on the part OF the Turks, it is de-
clarcd
Further details of tho evacuation of
the Amaze and Suvla zones have been
received" says the official statement
without the TURKS being aware OF
the movement. u great army has been
w'thdraYn from one of the areas oc-
cupied ON the tiallipoli Peninsula, al
though in the closest Of contact with
the enemy. Ey this contraction OF the
front. operations at other points OF
the line will be- more effectively car
ri.d out.
SIR CHARLES MONRO GIVES
CREDIT TO HIS GENERALS
Sir Charles Munro gives the credit
for this skillfully conducted transfer of
TN tl,.N,
the royal navy
The withdrawal of the British troops
from Suvla Bay and the Anzac zone
ends. more successfully than most milf
tary men thought possible the most
unfortunate chapter of British arms
in this war. Thousands OF lives were
sacrificed in gaining these positions,
and other thousands in holding them.
The question has been constantly dis
cussed why the generals commanding
the DardanclicS expedition did not try
to make IL landing near the center of
the peninsula in the beginning and
cut OFT the Turkish troops on the lower
end. When the attempt WAS finally
made to secure a foothold higher up
the peninsula. the Turks were fully
prepared TO meet il.
lacked several essential features, par
ucuiarly II supply OF drinking water.
The story has been revealed by soldiers
and correspondents returning from the
Mediterranean only gradually AMI by
detail One eyewitness declared that
after the first battalion landed the men
were shot down so thickly that the
watchers aboard the ships were ask
ing. why don't our men advance" and
thought the troops We're lying down
awaiting orders.
The soldiers found barbed wire en-
tanglemcnts stretching clear out under
the water when they jumped from their
small boats. TO add to their suffer
ings the :upDly of drinking water was
very short.
CRITICISM OF MOVEMENT
by ROBERT BI.tTCHFORD
Robert Blatchford. the author, in Il
newspaper article yesterday, asserted:
Many OF these men died Of thirst
lherc was no ice Tor the wounded
There was no place ashore. except in
dugouts under the hillsdes. where the
men were never safe from the encmy's
she'll fire, night or day. Numbers were
sent TO Malta and England suffering
from dysentcry or nervous collapse"
JoAh Redmond. the Irish Nationalist
leader. said III speech in the House
o! Commons. that the sumcrings OF Irish
troops III Iiallipoli were the worst
known III the present war.
All official announcement was made
recently that the general responsible
Tor the Suvla Bay operations had been
removed from his command. but his
identity is not yet known to the British
public. General Sir Charles c. Monro
reported in favor Of withdrawing the
troops when lac took command at the
phrdthciies, but the popular belief.
shared by military men here was that
thousands OF soldiers could not be
taken aboard transports and effect com
pl"tc withdrawal from their trenches
without calamitous loss OF lives The
withdrawal must have been Il difficult
one. ana the country is relieved that
IT has been done without disaster