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[Page 158]
[Telegram form – The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited. Alexandria Station. Dated 1 Sept. 1915. 319 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 eight but little or no progress could be made with this attack the Turks were in great strength and at one time threatened to surround the Brigade which had to be withdrawn to its original position on Asma Dere where it held out all day against determined attacks stop meanwhile the New Zealand column advancing up Rhododendron Ridge made a most determined assault on the crest and succeeded in gaining the south western slopes of the main peak of Chunuk Bair whilst the Indian Brigade on their left also gained ground north east of the farm and on Hill Q stop
again the exhaustion of the troops the necessity of reserting the units the scarcity of water and the collection of the great numbers of wounded made it necessary to break off the action until nightfall stop only those who have been over the ground can have any conception of the difficulties of these short advances they are a stiff climb in normal times without an enemy in front and without the climbers being encumbered with kits rifles food and ammunition stop throughout the afternoon of August 8th the forces were reorganised into three columns [censor's deletion] New Zealanders on right [censor's deletion] Indians in centre and [censor's deletion] 38th Brigade on left for a final assault on Chunuk Bair which was timed to begin at dawn on August 9th stop large reserves from the 13th Division were thrown into the firing line to assist the New Zealanders and Indian Infantry Brigades and the men were as far as possible rested throughout the day and early part of the 9th stop the advance on the morning of the 9th was preceded by a heavy bombardment of Chunuk Bair and Hill Q by naval and land guns stop the advance of No 3 Column was delayed by the broken nature of the ground and the enemy's resistance
ashmead bartlett / Radcliffe Censor