Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches From The Dardanelles, Etc - free ebook by Ian Hamilton

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Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches From The Dardanelles, Etc

Ian Hamilton

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INTRODUCTION BY FIELD-MARSHAL SIR EVELYN WOOD, V.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Etc., Etc.

INTRODUCTION BY FIELD-MARSHAL SIR EVELYN WOOD, V.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Etc., Etc.

I was serving in the Royal Navy when Lieutenant Lucas, H.M.S. Hecla , earned the first Victoria Cross that was gazetted, for having thrown overboard a live shell. I was in the 21-gun battery before Sevastopol sixty-one years ago when Captain Sir William Peel, R.N., picked up from amongst a number of powder cases, and carried resting on his chest, a 42-pounder live Russian shell, which burst as he threw it over the parapet; and having seen many extraordinarily gallant deeds performed by men of al

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Three Formidable Fortresses

Three Formidable Fortresses

The three dominating features in this southern section seemed to me to be: (1) Sari Bair Mountain, running up in a succession of almost perpendicular escarpments to 970 feet. The whole mountain seemed to be a network of ravines and covered with thick jungle. (2) Kilid Bahr plateau, which rises, a natural fortification artificially fortified, to a height of 700 feet to cover the forts of the Narrows from an attack from the Aegean. (3) Achi Babi, a hill 600 feet in height, dominating at long field

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Redistribution of Troops

Redistribution of Troops

Before doing anything else I had to redistribute the troops on the transports to suit the order of their disembarkation. The bulk of the forces at my disposal had, perforce, been embarked without its having been possible to pay due attention to the operation upon which I now proposed that they should be launched. Owing to lack of facilities at Mudros redistribution in that harbour was out of the question. With your Lordship's approval, therefore, I ordered all the transports, except those of the

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Arrival of the Transports

Arrival of the Transports

The transports conveying the covering force arrived off Tenedos on the morning of the 24th, and during the afternoon the troops were transferred to the warships and fleet-sweepers in which they were to approach the shore. About midnight these ships, each towing a number of cutters and other small boats, silently slipped their cables and, escorted by the 3rd Squadron of the Fleet, steamed slowly towards their final rendezvous at Cape Helles. The rendezvous was reached just before dawn on the 25th

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Landing of the Borderers

Landing of the Borderers

The detachment detailed for S beach (Eski Hissarlik Point) consisted of the 2nd South Wales Borderers (less one company) under Lieut.-Colonel Casson. Their landing was delayed by the current, but by 7.30 a.m. it had been successfully effected at the cost of some fifty casualties, and Lieut.-Colonel Casson was able to establish his small force on the high ground near De Totts Battery. Here he maintained himself until the general advance on the 27th brought him into touch with the main body. The l

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The "Implacable's" Guns

The "Implacable's" Guns

The landing-place known as X beach consists of a strip of sand some 200 yards long by 8 yards wide at the foot of a low cliff. The troops to be landed here were the 1st Royal Fusiliers, who were to be towed ashore from H.M.S. Implacable in two parties, half a battalion at a time, together with a beach working party found by the Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division. About 6 a.m. H.M.S. Implacable , with a boldness much admired by the Army, stood quite close in to the beach, firing very rapidly w

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The Landing from the "River Clyde"

The Landing from the "River Clyde"

The landing on V beach was planned to take place on the following lines: As soon as the enemy's defences had been heavily bombarded by the Fleet, three companies of the Dublin Fusiliers were to be towed ashore. They were to be closely followed by the collier River Clyde (Commander Unwin, R.N.), carrying between decks the balance of the Dublin Fusiliers, the Munster Fusiliers, half a battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, the West Riding Field Company, and other details. The River Clyde had been sp

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Landing Obstacles on Shore

Landing Obstacles on Shore

At the south-eastern extremity of the beach, between the shore and the village, stands the old fort of Sedd-el-Bahr, a battered ruin with wide breaches in its walls and mounds of fallen masonry within and around it. On the ridge to the north, overlooking the amphitheatre, stands a ruined barrack. Both of these buildings, as well as No. 1 Fort, had been long bombarded by the Fleet, and the guns of the forts had been put out of action; but their crumbled walls and the ruined outskirts of the villa

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Waiting for Night

Waiting for Night

For a space the attempt to land was discontinued. When it was resumed the lighters again drifted into deep water, with Brigadier-General Napier, Captain Costeker, his Brigade-Major, and a number of men of the Hampshire Regiment on board. There was nothing for them all but to lie down on the lighters, and it was here that General Napier and Captain Costeker were killed. At this time, between 10 and 11 a.m., about one thousand men had left the collier, and of these nearly half had been killed or w

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The Death of Colonel Doughty-Wylie

The Death of Colonel Doughty-Wylie

Now that it was daylight once more, Lieutenant-Colonels Doughty-Wylie and Williams set to work to organize an attack on the hill above the beach. Any soldier who has endeavoured to pull scattered units together after they have been dominated for many consecutive hours by close and continuous fire will be able to take the measure of their difficulties. Fortunately General Hunter-Weston had arranged with Rear-Admiral Wemyss about this same time for a heavy bombardment to be opened by the ships upo

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Beach W

Beach W

W beach consists of a strip of deep, powdery sand some 350 yards long and from 15 to 40 yards wide, situated immediately south of Tekke Burnu, where a small gully running down to the sea opens out a break in the cliffs. On either flank of the beach the ground rises precipitously, but, in the centre, a number of sand dunes afford a more gradual access to the ridge overlooking the sea. Much time and ingenuity had been employed by the Turks in turning this landing-place into a death trap. Close to

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The Lancashire Fusiliers

The Lancashire Fusiliers

The landing at W had been entrusted to the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (Major Bishop), and it was to the complete lack of the sense of danger or of fear of this daring battalion that we owed our astonishing success. As in the case of the landing at X, the disembarkation had been delayed for half an hour, but at 6 a.m. the whole battalion approached the shore together, towed by eight picket boats in line abreast, each picket boat pulling four ship's cutters. As soon as shallow water was re

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Night Landing of the Oversea Troops

Night Landing of the Oversea Troops

The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps sailed out of Mudros Bay on the afternoon of April 24, escorted by the 2nd Squadron of the Fleet under Rear-Admiral Thursby. The rendezvous was reached just after half-past one in the morning of the 25th, and there the 1,500 men who had been placed on board H.M. ships before leaving Mudros were transferred to their boats. This operation was carried out with remarkable expedition, and in absolute silence. Simultaneously the remaining 2,500 men of the cove

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"Deep Ravines and Sharp Spurs"

"Deep Ravines and Sharp Spurs"

The beach on which the landing was actually effected is a very narrow strip of sand, about 1,000 yards in length, bounded on the north and the south by two small promontories. At its southern extremity a deep ravine, with exceedingly steep, scrub-clad sides, runs inland in a north-easterly direction. Near the northern end of the beach a small but steep gully runs up into the hills at right angles to the shore. Between the ravine and the gully the whole of the beach is backed by the seaward face

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Continuous Fighting

Continuous Fighting

This attack was carried out by the 3rd Australian Brigade, under Major (temporary Colonel) Sinclair Maclagan, D.S.O. The 1st and 2nd Brigades followed promptly, and were all disembarked by 2 p.m., by which time 12,000 men and two batteries of Indian Mountain Artillery had been landed. The disembarkation of further artillery was delayed owing to the fact that the enemy's heavy guns opened on the anchorage and forced the transports, which had been subjected to continuous shelling from his field gu

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Turks' Heavy Losses

Turks' Heavy Losses

It is a consolation to know that the Turks suffered still more seriously. Several times our machine guns got on to them in close formation, and the whole surrounding country is still strewn with their dead. The reorganization of units and formations was impossible during the 26th and 27th owing to persistent attacks. An advance was impossible until a reorganization could be effected, and it only remained to entrench the position gained and to perfect the arrangements for bringing up ammunition,

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Help of the Navy

Help of the Navy

On the night of May 2 a bold effort was made to seize a commanding knoll in front of the centre of the line. The enemy's enfilading machine guns were too scientifically posted, and 800 men were lost without advantage beyond the infliction of a corresponding loss to the enemy. On May 4 an attempt to seize Kaba Tepe was also unsuccessful, the barbed wire here being something beyond belief. But a number of minor operations have been carried out, such as the taking of a Turkish observing station; th

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French Capture of 500 Prisoners

French Capture of 500 Prisoners

Concurrently with the British landings a regiment of the French Corps was successfully dis embarked at Kum Kale under the guns of the French Fleet, and remained ashore till the morning of the 26th, when they re-embarked. Five hundred prisoners were captured by the French on this day. This operation drew the fire of the Asiatic guns from Morto Bay and V beach on to Kum Kale, and contributed largely to the success of the British landings. On the evening of the 26th the main disembarkation of the F

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Advance on Krithia

Advance on Krithia

Owing to casualties this line was somewhat thinly held. Still, it was so vital to make what headway we could before the enemy recovered himself and received fresh reinforcements that it was decided to push on as quickly as possible. Orders were therefore issued for a general advance to commence at 8 a.m. next day. The 29th Division were to march on Krithia, with their left brigade leading, the French were directed to extend their left in conformity with the British movements and to retain their

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Shortage of Ammunition

Shortage of Ammunition

By 2 p.m. the whole of the troops with the exception of the Drake Battalion had been absorbed into the firing line. The men were exhausted, and the few guns landed at the time were unable to afford them adequate artillery support. The small amount of transport available did not suffice to maintain the supply of munitions, and cartridges were running short despite all efforts to push them up from the landing-places. Hopes of getting a footing on Achi Babi had now perforce to be abandoned—at least

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French Losses

French Losses

For, after all, we had pushed forward quite appreciably on the whole. The line eventually held by our troops on the night of the 28th ran from a point on the coast three miles north-west of Tekke Burnu to a point one mile north of Eski Hissarlik, whence it was continued by the French south-east to the coast. Much inevitable mixing of units of the 86th and 88th Brigades had occurred during the day's fighting, and there was a dangerous re-entrant in the line at the junction of the 87th and 88th Br

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Turkish Attacks

Turkish Attacks

This reserve was increased on May 1 by the addition of the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, which released the three battalions of the 88th Brigade to return to the trenches. The Corps Expéditionnaire d'Orient had disembarked the whole of their infantry, and all but two of their batteries by the same evening. At 10 p.m. the Turks opened a hot shell fire upon our position, and half an hour later, just before the rise of the moon, they delivered a series of desperate attacks. Their formation was in t

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British Bayonet Charge

British Bayonet Charge

The first momentum of this ponderous onslaught fell upon the right of the 86th Brigade, an unlucky spot, seeing all the officers thereabouts had already been killed or wounded. So when the Turks came right on without firing and charged into the trenches with the bayonet they made an ugly gap in the line. This gap was instantly filled by the 5th Royal Scots (Territorials), who faced to their flank and executed a brilliant bayonet charge against the enemy, and by the Essex Regiment detached for th

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General Advance of our Line

General Advance of our Line

About 5 a.m. a counter-offensive was ordered, and the whole line began to advance. By 7.30 a.m. the British left had gained some 500 yards, and the centre had pushed the enemy back and inflicted heavy losses. The right also had gained some ground in conjunction with the French left, but the remainder of the French line was unable to progress. As the British centre and left were now subjected to heavy cross fire from concealed machine guns, it was found impossible to maintain the ground gained, a

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Heavy Casualties

Heavy Casualties

The losses, exclusive of the French, during the period covered by this despatch, were, I regret to say, very severe, numbering: 177 Officers and 1,990 other ranks killed. 412 Officers and 7,807 other ranks wounded. 13 Officers and 3,580 other ranks missing. From a technical point of view it is interesting to note that my Administrative Staff had not reached Mudros by the time when the landings were finally arranged. All the highly elaborate work involved by these landings was put through by my G

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Fine Work of the Navy

Fine Work of the Navy

Throughout the events I have chronicled the Royal Navy has been father and mother to the Army. Not one of us but realises how much he owes to Vice-Admiral de Robeck; to the warships, French and British; to the destroyers, mine sweepers, picket boats, and to all their dauntless crews, who took no thought of themselves, but risked everything to give their soldier comrades a fair run in at the enemy. Throughout these preparations and operations Monsieur le Général d'Amade has given me the benefit o

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Creation of New Divisions

Creation of New Divisions

The many urgent calls for reinforcements made during the previous critical fighting had forced me to disorganize and mix together several of the formations in the southern group, to the extent even of the French on our right having a British battalion holding their own extremest right. For the purposes of the impending fight it became therefore necessary to create temporarily a Composite Division, consisting of the 2nd Australian and New Zealand Infantry Brigades (withdrawn for the purpose from

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Critical Days

Critical Days

During the three days (May 6-8) our troops were destined to be very severely tried. They were about to attack a series of positions scientifically selected in advance which, although not yet joined up into one line of entrenchment, were already strengthened by works on their more important tactical features. The 29th Division led off at 11 a.m., the French corps followed suit at 11.30 a.m.; every yard was stubbornly contested; some Brigades were able to advance, others could do no more than main

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German Guns and Turkish Snipers

German Guns and Turkish Snipers

Next morning (May 7) we opened with shrapnel upon the enemy's trenches opposite our extreme left, and at 10 a.m. the Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade began the attack. But our artillery had not been able to locate the cleverly sited German machine-gun batteries, whose fire rendered it physically impossible to cross that smooth glacis. Next to the right the 88th Brigade swept forward, and the 1/5th Royal Scots, well supported by artillery fire, carried the fir trees with a rush. This time it was disc

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Tired, but Heroic Troops

Tired, but Heroic Troops

Despite their exhaustion and their losses the men responded with a will. The whole force, French and British, rose simultaneously and made a rush forward. All along the front we made good a certain amount of ground, excepting only on our extreme left. For the third time British bayonets carried the fir clump in our centre, and when darkness fell the whole line (excepting always the left) had gained from 200 to 300 yards, and had occupied or passed over the first line of Turkish trenches. The tro

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British Advance

British Advance

The co-operation of artillery and infantry in this attack was perfect, the timing of the movement being carried out with great precision. Some of the companies of the New Zealand regiments did not get their orders in time, but acting on their own initiative they pushed on as soon as the heavy howitzers ceased firing, thus making the whole advance simultaneous. The steady advance of the British could be followed by the sparkle of their bayonets until the long lines entered the smoke clouds. The F

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Valour of Colonial Troops

Valour of Colonial Troops

The Australian Brigade had advanced through the Composite Brigade, and, in spite of heavy losses from shrapnel, machine-gun, and rifle fire, had progressed from 300 to 400 yards. The determined valour shown by these two brigades, the New Zealand Brigade, under Brigadier-General F. E. Johnston, and the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier-General the Hon. J. W. McCay, are worthy of particular praise. Their losses were correspondingly heavy, but in spite of fierce counter-attacks by nu

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Zouaves Forced to give Way

Zouaves Forced to give Way

The French troops whose actions have hitherto been followed belonged, all of them, to the 2nd Division. But beyond the crest of the ridge the valley of the Kereves Dere lies dead to anyone occupying my post of command. And in this area the newly-arrived Brigade of the French 1st Division had been also fighting hard. Here they had advanced simultaneously with the 2nd Division and achieved a fine success in their first rush, which was jeopardized when a battalion of Zouaves was forced to give way

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No Respite from Shells

No Respite from Shells

On May 11, the first time for eighteen days and nights, it was found possible to withdraw the 29th Division from the actual firing line and to replace it by the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and by the 42nd Division, which had completed its disembarkation two days previously. The withdrawal gave no respite from shells, but at least the men were, most nights, enabled to sleep. The moment lent itself to reflection, and during this breathing space I was able to realize we had now nearly reached the

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Gurkha Stratagem

Gurkha Stratagem

During the night of May 10-11 the 6th Gurkhas started off to seize this bluff. Their scouts descended to the sea, worked their way for some distance through the broken ground along the shore, and crawled hands and knees up the precipitous face of the cliff. On reaching the top they were heavily fired on. As a surprise the enterprise had failed, but as a reconnaissance it proved very useful. On the following day Major-General H. B. Cox, commanding 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, submitted proposals

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Departure of General D'Amade

Departure of General D'Amade

On May 14 General Gouraud arrived and took over from General d'Amade the command of the Corps Expéditionnaire. As General d'Amade quitted the shores of the peninsula he received a spontaneous ovation from the British soldiers at work upon the beaches. The second division of the Corps Expéditionnaire, commanded by General Bailloud, had now completed disembarkation. From the time of the small local push forward made by the 6th Gurkhas on the night of May 10-11 until June 4 the troops under my comm

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Australian Dare-Devilry

Australian Dare-Devilry

Turning now to where the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps were perched upon the cliffs of Sari Bair, I must begin by explaining that their rôle at this stage of the operations was—first, to keep open a door leading to the vitals of the Turkish position; secondly, to hold up as large a body as possible of the enemy in front of them, so as to lessen the strain at Cape Helles. Anzac, in fact, was cast to play second fiddle to Cape Helles, a part out of harmony with the dare-devil spirit animat

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A Night Assault

A Night Assault

On May 9 a night assault, supported by enfilade fire, was delivered on the enemy's trenches in front of Quinn's Post. The trenches were carried at the point of the bayonet, troops established in them, and reinforcements sent up. At dawn on May 10 a strong counter-attack forced our troops to evacuate the trenches and fall back on Quinn's Post. In opposing this counter-attack our guns did great execution, as we discovered later from a Turkish officer's diary that two Turkish regiments on this date

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Death of General Bridges

Death of General Bridges

On May 15 I deeply regret to say Major-General W. T. Bridges, commanding the Australian Division, received a severe wound, which proved fatal a few days later. Sincere and single-minded in his devotion to Australia and to duty, his loss still stands out even amidst the hundreds of other brave officers who have gone. On May 18 Anzac was subjected to a heavy bombardment from large-calibre guns and howitzers. At midnight of the 18th-19th the most violent rifle and machine-gun fire yet experienced b

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Heavy Enemy Losses

Heavy Enemy Losses

According to prisoners' reports 30,000 troops, including five fresh regiments, were used against us. General Liman von Sanders was himself in command. The enemy's casualties were heavy, as may be judged from the fact that over 3,000 dead were lying in the open in view of our trenches. A large proportion of these losses were due to our artillery fire. Our casualties amounted to about 100 killed and 500 wounded, including nine officers wounded....

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Temporary Suspension of Arms

Temporary Suspension of Arms

The next four days were chiefly remarkable for the carrying through of the negotiations for the suspension of arms, which actually took place on May 24. About 5 p.m. on May 20 white flags and Red Crescents began to appear all along the line. In No. 2 section a Turkish staff officer, two medical officers, and a company commander came out and were met by Major-General H. B. Walker, commanding the Australian Division, halfway between the trenches. The staff officer explained that he was instructed

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Turkish Dead

Turkish Dead

As the Turks seemed anxious to bury their dead, and as human sentiment and medical science were both of one accord in favour of such a course, I sent Major-General W. P. Braithwaite, my Chief of the General Staff, on May 22, to assist Lieutenant-General Sir W. R. Birdwood, commanding the Army Corps, in coming to some suitable arrangements with the representative sent by Essad Pasha. The negotiations resulted in a suspension of arms from 7.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on May 24. The procedure laid down f

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Death of Major Quinn

Death of Major Quinn

On May 28, at 9 p.m., a raid was made on a Turkish post overlooking the beach 1,200 yards north of Kaba Tepe, H.M.S. Rattlesnake co-operating. A party of fifty rifles rushed the post, killing or capturing the occupants. A similar raid was made against an enemy trench to the left of our line which cost the Turks 200 casualties, as was afterwards ascertained. ( To face page 64. ) Map 3. From May 28 till June 5 the fighting seemed to concentrate itself around Quinn's Post. Three enemy galleries had

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Our Losses

Our Losses

At 8.15 a.m. the attack slackened, and by 8.45 a.m. the enemy's attacks had practically ceased. Our casualties in this affair amounted to 2 officers, 31 other ranks killed, 12 officers and 176 other ranks wounded. The enemy's losses must have been serious, and were probably equal to those sustained on May 9-10. Except for the first withdrawal in the confusion of the mine explosion, all ranks fought with the greatest tenacity and courage. On May 30 preparations were made in Quinn's Post to attack

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Distracting the Enemy

Distracting the Enemy

After sunset on June 4 three separate enterprises were carried out by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. These were undertaken in compliance with an order which I had issued that the enemy's attention should be distracted during an attack I was about to deliver in the southern zone. (1) A demonstration in the direction of Kaba Tepe, the Navy co-operating by bombarding the Turkish trenches. (2) A sortie at 11 p.m. towards a trench 200 yards from Quinn's Post. This failed, but a second sor

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A Sortie from Quinn's Post

A Sortie from Quinn's Post

On June 5 a sortie was made from Quinn's Post by 2 officers and 100 men of the 1st Australian Infantry, the objective being the destruction of a machine-gun in a trench known as German Officer's Trench. A special party of ten men with the officer commanding the party (Lieutenant E. E. L. Lloyd, 1st Battalion (New South Wales) Australian Imperial Force) made a dash for the machine-gun; one of the ten men managed to fire three rounds into the gun at a range of 5 feet and another three at the same

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Battle of the 4th of June

Battle of the 4th of June

I now return to the southern zone and to the battle of June 4. From May 25 onwards the troops had been trying to work up within rushing distance of the enemy's front trenches. On May 25 the Royal Naval and 42nd Divisions crept 100 yards nearer to the Turks, and on the night of May 28-29 the whole of the British line made a further small advance. On that same night the French Corps Expéditionnaire was successful in capturing a small redoubt on the extreme Turkish left west of the Kereves Dere. Al

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Naval Brigade's Dash

Naval Brigade's Dash

The 2nd Naval Brigade of the Royal Naval Division rushed forward with great dash; the "Anson" Battalion captured the southern face of a Turkish redoubt which formed a salient in the enemy's line, the "Howe" and "Hood" Battalions captured trenches fronting them, and by 12.15 p.m. the whole Turkish line forming their first objective was in their hands. Their consolidating party went forward at 12.25 p.m. The Manchester Brigade of the 42nd Division advanced magnificently. In five minutes the first

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A Check on the Left

A Check on the Left

Only on the extreme left did we sustain a check. Here the Turkish front trench was so sited as to have escaped damage from our artillery bombardment, and the barbed wire obstacle was intact. The result was that, though the 14th Sikhs on the right flank pushed on despite losses amounting to three-fourths of their effectives, the centre of the Brigade could make no headway. A company of the 6th Gurkhas on the left, skilfully led along the cliffs by its commander, actually forced its way into a Tur

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Manchester's Heavy Losses

Manchester's Heavy Losses

The question was now whether this rolling up of the newly captured line from the right would continue until the whole of our gains were wiped out. It looked very like it, for now the enfilade fire of the Turks began to fall upon the Manchester Brigade of the 42nd Division, which was firmly consolidating the furthest distant line of trenches it had so brilliantly won. After 1.30 p.m. it became increasingly difficult for this gallant Brigade to hold its ground. Heavy casualties occurred; the Briga

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The Gallant French

The Gallant French

From the date of this battle to the end of the month of June the incessant attacks and counter-attacks which have so grievously swelled our lists of casualties have been caused by the determination of the Turks to regain ground they had lost, a determination clashing against our firm resolve to continue to increase our holding. Several of these daily encounters would have been the subject of a separate despatch in the campaigns of my youth and middle age, but, with due regard to proportion, they

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General Hunter-Weston's Scheme

General Hunter-Weston's Scheme

(2) The Turkish right had hitherto rooted itself with special tenacity into the coast. In the scheme of attack submitted by Lieutenant-General A. G. Hunter-Weston, commanding 8th Army Corps, our left, pivoting upon a point in our line about one mile from the sea, was to push forward until its outer flank advanced about 1,000 yards. If the operation was successful then, at its close, we should have driven the enemy back for a thousand yards along the coast, and the trenches of this left section o

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Enemy's Losses

Enemy's Losses

(3) On the night of June 29 and 30 the Turks, acting, as we afterwards ascertained, under the direct personal order of Enver Pasha, to drive us all into the sea, made a big attack on the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, principally on that portion of the line which was under the command of Major-General Sir A. J. Godley. From midnight till 1.30 a.m. a fire of musketry and guns of greatest intensity was poured upon our trenches. A heavy column then advanced to the assault, and was completel

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Submarines

Submarines

During the whole period under review the efforts and expedients whereby a great army has had its wants supplied upon a wilderness have, I believe, been breaking world records. The country is broken, mountainous, arid, and void of supplies; the water found in the areas occupied by our forces is quite inadequate for their needs; the only practicable beaches are small, cramped breaks in impracticable lines of cliffs; with the wind in certain quarters no sort of landing is possible; the wastage, by

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A Corporal's Apology

A Corporal's Apology

In addition to its normal duties the Signal Service, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel M. G. E. Bowman-Manifold, Director of Army Signals, has provided the connecting link between the Royal Navy and the Army in their combined operations, and has rapidly readjusted itself to amphibious methods. All demands made on it by sudden expansion of the fighting forces or by the movements of General Head-quarters have been rapidly and effectively met. The working of the telegraphs, telephones, and

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Work of the Army Medical Service

Work of the Army Medical Service

The Royal Army Medical Service have had to face unusual and very trying conditions. There are no roads, and the wounded who are unable to walk must be carried from the firing line to the shore. They and their attendants may be shelled on their way to the beaches, at the beaches, on the jetties, and again, though I believe by inadvertence, on their way out in lighters to the hospital ships. Under shell fire it is not as easy as some of the critically disposed seem to imagine to keep all arrangeme

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Honourable Mention

Honourable Mention

In my three Commanders of Corps I have indeed been thrice fortunate. General Gouraud brought a great reputation to our help from the battlefields of the Argonne, and in so doing he has added to its lustre. A happy mixture of daring in danger and of calm in crisis, full of energy and resource, he has worked hand in glove with his British comrades in arms, and has earned their affection and respect. Lieutenant-General Sir W. R. Birdwood has been the soul of Anzac. Not for one single day has he eve

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PRESS BUREAU STATEMENTS

PRESS BUREAU STATEMENTS

August 10 Sir Ian Hamilton reports that fighting at several points on the Gallipoli peninsula has taken place during the last few days. Substantial progress has been made. In the southern zone 200 yards on a front of 300 yards has been gained east of the Krithia road, and has been held in spite of determined counter-attacks, which have been repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy. Repeated attacks by the Turks elsewhere in this zone have been beaten off. Several attacks by the French Corps have be

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Landing of the Troops

Landing of the Troops

The troops were landed in two trips, the operation occupying about half an hour, this in spite of the fact that the landing was vigorously opposed, the surprise being only partially effected. The disembarkation of the main body was at once proceeded with. The operations were somewhat delayed owing to the transports having to remain a considerable distance from the shore in order to avoid the howitzer and field-guns' fire brought to bear on them and also the fire from warships stationed in the Na

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Beach under Shell Fire

Beach under Shell Fire

The beach here was very narrow and continuously under shell fire. The difficulties of disembarkation were accentuated by the necessity of evacuating the wounded; both operations proceeded simultaneously. The service was one which called for great determination and coolness under fire, and the success achieved indicates the spirit animating all concerned. In this respect I would specially mention the extraordinary gallantry and dash shown by the 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade (Colonel E. G. Sinc

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The Embarkation

The Embarkation

The Scottish Borderers were landed in two trips, followed at once by the Plymouth Battalion Royal Marines. These troops met with severe opposition on the top of the cliffs, where fire from covering ships was of little assistance, and, after heavy fighting, were forced to re-embark on the 26th. The re-embarkation was carried out by the following ships: Goliath , Talbot , Dublin , Sapphire , and Amethyst . It was most ably conducted by the beach personnel and covered by the fire of the warships, w

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Landing on the Rocks

Landing on the Rocks

Landing at W Beach. —The 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers embarked in Euryalus and Implacable on the 24th, who proceeded to positions off the landing-place, where the troops embarked in the boats at about 4 a.m. Shortly after 5 a.m. Euryalus approached W beach and Implacable X beach. At 5 a.m. the covering ships opened a heavy fire on the beach, which was continued up to the last moment before landing. Unfortunately this fire did not have the effect on the extensive wire entanglements and tren

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The "River Clyde"

The "River Clyde"

Landing at V Beach. —This beach, it was anticipated, would be the most difficult to capture; it possessed all the advantages for defence which W beach had, and in addition the flanks were strongly guarded by the old castle and village of Seddul Bahr on the east and perpendicular cliffs on the west; the whole foreshore was covered with barbed wire entanglements which extended in places under the sea. The position formed a natural amphitheatre with the beach as stage. The first landing here, as at

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Gallantry of Commander Unwin

Gallantry of Commander Unwin

Commander Unwin, seeing how things were going, left the River Clyde and, standing up to his waist in water under a very heavy fire, got the lighters into position; he was assisted in this work by Midshipman G. L. Drewry, R.N.R., of H.M.S. Hussar ; Midshipman W. St. A. Malleson, R.N., of H.M.S. Cornwallis ; Able Seaman W. C. Williams, O.N. 186774 (R.F.R. B. 3766), and Seaman R.N.R. George McKenzie Samson, O.N. 2408A, both of H.M.S. Hussar . The bridge to the shore, though now passable, could not

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H.M.S. "Albion's" Gunfire

H.M.S. "Albion's" Gunfire

The fight continued, supported ably by gunfire from H.M.S. Albion , until 1.24 p.m., when our troops had gained a position from which they assaulted Hill 141, which dominated the situation. Albion then ceased fire, and the hill, with old fort on top, was most gallantly stormed by the troops, led by Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. H. Doughty-Wylie, General Staff, who fell as the position was won. The taking of this hill effectively cleared the enemy from the neighbourhood of the V beach, which could now

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French Landing

French Landing

Landing on the "Camber," Seddul Bahr. —One half company Royal Dublin Fusiliers landed here, without opposition, the Camber being "dead ground." The advance from the Camber , however, was only possible on a narrow front, and after several attempts to enter the village of Seddul Bahr this half company had to withdraw after suffering heavy losses. Landing at "De Totts" S Beach. —The 2nd South Wales Borderers (less one company) and a detachment 2nd London Field Company R.E. were landed in boats, con

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Co-operation of Allies

Co-operation of Allies

I now propose to make the following more general remarks on the conduct of the operations: From the very first the co-operation between Army and Navy was most happy; difficulties which arose were quickly surmounted, and nothing could have exceeded the tactfulness and forethought of Sir Ian Hamilton and his staff. The loyal support which I received from Contre-Amiral E. P. A. Guepratte simplified the task of landing the Allied armies simultaneously....

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Russian Fleet Represented

Russian Fleet Represented

The Russian fleet was represented by H.I.R.M.S. Askold , which ship was attached to the French squadron. Contre-Amiral Guepratte bears testimony to the value of the support he received from Captain Ivanoff, especially during the landing and re-embarkation of the French troops at Kum Kale. The detailed organization of the landing could not be commenced until the Army Head-quarters returned from Egypt on April 10. The work to be done was very great, and the naval personnel and material available s

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Contempt for Death

Contempt for Death

Such actions as the storming of the Seddul Bahr position by the 29th Division must live in history for ever; innumerable deeds of heroism and daring were performed; the gallantry and absolute contempt for death displayed alone made the operations possible. At Gaba Tepe the landing and the dash of the Australian Brigade for the cliffs was magnificent—nothing could stop such men. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in this, their first battle, set a standard as high as that of any army in hi

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HEROIC LABOURS

HEROIC LABOURS

Commander Unwin and His Midshipmen Commander Edward Unwin , R.N. While in River Clyde , observing that the lighters which were to form the bridge to the shore had broken adrift, Commander Unwin left the ship and under a murderous fire attempted to get the lighters into position. He worked on until, suffering from the effects of cold and immersion, he was obliged to return to the ship, where he was wrapped up in blankets. Having in some degree recovered, he returned to his work against the doctor

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Work of the Destroyers

Work of the Destroyers

The work accomplished by the destroyer flotillas fully maintained the high standard they have established in these waters. On the 25th and 26th Wolverine (Commander O. J. Pretis) (killed in action), Scorpion (Lieut.-Commander (now Commander), A. B. Cunningham), Renard (Lieut.-Commander L. G. B. A. Campbell), Grampus (Lieut.-Commander R. Bacchus), Pincher (Lieut.-Commander H. W. Wyld), and Rattlesnake (Lieut.-Commander P. G. Wodehouse), carried out mine-sweeping operations under Captain Heneage i

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PETTY OFFICERS AND MEN

PETTY OFFICERS AND MEN

Special Recommendations P.O. John Hepburn Russell , O.N. F.839, of the Royal Naval Air Service, was wounded in gallantly going to Commander Unwin's assistance. P.O. Mech. Geoffrey Charlton Paine Rummings , O.N. F.813, Royal Naval Air Service, assisted Commander Unwin in rescuing wounded men. P.O. Sec. Cl. Frederick Gibson , O.N. 191025, R.F.R. B.3829, Albion , jumped overboard with a line and got his boat beached to complete bridge from River Clyde to shore. He then took wounded to River Clyde u

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