Item 03: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett telegrams, 1915 - Page 160

You are here

Transcription

[Page 160]

[Telegram form – The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited. Alexandria Station. Dated 1 Sept. 1915. 290 words]
[Continuation of Ashmead Bartlet's report on the combined British/Anzac operations at Suvla Bay and Lone Pine, 6th to 10th August]
Daily Telegraph London R.T.P.
Cable five section nine stop meanwhile the 6th Gourkas [censor's deletion] advanced gallantly up the slopes of Sari Bair and actually succeeded in reaching the neck between Chunuk Bair and Hill Q stop it was from here that they looked down on the Dardanelles but were unfortunately unable to hold their position in the face of violent counter attacks and heavy shell fire stop meantime the Turks counter attacked [censor's deletion] the left column in great strength and they were compelled to withdraw to the lower slopes of Sari Bair stop meantime throughout the day and night the New Zealanders succeeded in maintaining their hold on Chunuk Bair although the men were thoroughly exhausted stop

during the night of the 9th the exhausted New Zealanders were relieved by the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and the 5th Wilts stop at dawn on the 10th the Turks who had been strongly reinforced made a most desperate assault on our lines from Hill Q and Chunuk Bair stop to the strength of a division in successive lines they hurled themselves quite regardless of their lives on the North Lancashires and 5th Wilts who after a desperate resistance were driven from their position by artillery fire and sheer weight of numbers further down the slopes of Chunuk Bair stop following up their success the Turks charged right over the crest and endeavoured to gain the great gully south of Rhododendron Ridge evidently with the intention of forcing their way between our lines and the Anzac position stop but they reckoned without our artillery and the ships guns stop this great charge of four successive lines of infantry in close formation were plainly visible to all our warships

ashmead bartlett / Radcliffe Censor

This page has its status set to Completed and is no longer transcribable.