Dardanelles: A Midshipman's Diary, 1915-16 (The History of World War One) by H. M. Denham

Author:H. M. Denham [Denham, H. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2021-01-09T22:00:00+00:00

THURSDAY MAY 6TH. Wind blowing hard from the north-west. Battery at Kum Kale was dropping shells into Seddul Bahr. Cornwallis in usual billet off Seddul Bahr anchorage replying. Many of the original transports have left for reinforcements and other ships have arrived in their billets, including La France and another big four-funneler.

At 8.30 a.m. sounded off Action. Sweeping destroyers proceeded up ahead of us but our pair fouled their sweep and hoisted two black balls, so sweeping was abandoned and we anchored in Morto Bay. 10.15. Opened fire with the after turret on Asiatic battery and Commander Sampson spotting with great difficulty; 18 rounds were fired and he reported four hits.

At 10.45 our field-guns and howitzers opened fire on enemy trenches. Large reinforcements brought up on our right. Noon. General musketry engagement all along the line with Maxim fire and shrapnel continuously; our fellows advancing all along the line. Ships in Straits supporting Majestic, Jauréguiberry and Henry IV looking after our right flank. At 2 p.m. Banks in 1st picket-boat returned to the ship after 10 days at ‘V’ Beach landing.

5 p.m. Weighed and drifted down stream but had to loose off some 9.2-in. as our Asiatic friends began to be objectionable again. Our troops during the evening advanced all along, while we proceeded to ‘Y’ Beach for the night.

FRIDAY MAY 7TH. 8 a.m. Entered Straits to find artillery duel going on with occasional musketry. Went to Action Stations at 8.30 and then came to anchor in Morto Bay. At 8.45 ‘Marmaduke’ started shelling Seddul Bahr, so the after turret opened fire and later an aeroplane from Tenedos ascended and spotted for us while the after turret fired 40 rounds ¾ charge.

From the crow’s-nest I got a good view of the movements of troops and could see Krithia being shelled heavily. Majestic was right flank supporting ship and was relieved by Canopus at midday.

At 2 p.m. our starboard 12-pdrs tried to drop shells on ‘Whistling Rufus’; the aeroplane could not get corrections through so Fluter wasted 100 rounds by his own spotting, e.g. ‘Up a shade’, ‘Down half 25’, although we were firing over 7,000 (extreme range) when accuracy is not within 100 yds. At 2.40 shrapnel burst very near our foretop sending bullets ricocheting off the roof, and some in the top, making everyone duck. At 3 p.m. Canopus started firing rapidly at running Turks. ‘Artful Archie’ fired on her, but only one shot at a time and consequently very wide. After tea another aeroplane went up so our after turret opened fire again and wasted a few more rounds, bringing up the total for the day to 63 rounds ¾ charge. During the afternoon there was a fierce artillery duel going on and later our centre advanced and is within 400 yds of Krithia.

This general advance which started yesterday is to capture Achi Baba, but all the way up to the peak is thickly entrenched, otherwise it would have been captured the first two days as was intended.

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