Item 03: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett telegrams, 1915 - Page 146

[Page 146]

[Telegram form – The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited. Alexandria Station. Dated 1 Sept. 1915. 299 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 two stop along the roads they watched the Turkish transport streaming southwards and automobiles dashing to and fro stop it was a bitter disappointment to have to relinquish the [censor's deletion] crest when it almost seemed within the grasp after so many months but there was no alternative stop the Anzac Corps fought like lions and accomplished a feat of arms in climbing these heights almost without parallel but all through they were handicapped by the failure of the 9th Corps to advance and make good its positions on the Anafarta Hills further north and thus check the enemy's shell fire which swept the crest of Chunuk Bair with devastating effect stop when all the details of these complicated operations are collected and sifted will form one of the most fascinating pages of the whole war stop

It was a combat of giants in a giant country and if one point stands out more than another it is the marvellous hardihood tenacity and reckless courage shown by the Australians and New Zealanders stop neither would it be fair to overlook the part played by the 13th Division of our new Armies in this section of the field stop although new to their work and unaccustomed to the novel conditions of mountain warfare and not acclimitised to marching fighting and climbing in the heat of August often for hours without water they nobly supported the Colonials and suffered heavy losses unflinchingly stop I have already mentioned the great efforts of the Indian Brigade and in a previous despatch have referred to the great role played by the Maoris who proved themselves extremely skilful in creeping forward in this broken ground and cutting wire to prepare the way for the advance

ashmead bartlett / Radcliffe censor