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Remembered Today:

X Beach Gallipoli 25th April 1915


Guest Jules1975

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Guest Jules1975

Hi,

Wonder if any of you can help - be gentle with me am new to this site! :blink:

My Father has possession of my Great Grandfather's and great great Uncle's medals from WWI.

My GtGt Uncle was on board HMS Implacable and we believe he was during the Gallipoli campaign, I have searched on the internet and have come across some info on the Implacable but not a cracking amount - wondered if you knew more?

I know about it's role around Beach 'X' - but that's about it.....

One thing that has confused us is the presence of Turkish Star amongst these medals....not that I'm saying he was a thief - but you have to wonder how he got it :unsure: unless I'm missing something......just wondering if you have any theories on that too ?! :)

Thanks

Jules

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My grandfather served on HMS Implacable from pre-WW1 to 1916. In 1914 they were in action along the Belgian coast, largely doing escourt duties, and then in early 1915 moved to the Aegean sea to take part in the Gallipoli campaign. On 25th April 1915 the ship was off X Beach and landed 2nd Royal Fusiliers, but one party also landed the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers on W Beach: my grandfather was in that party. The ship also supplied fire support throughout the campaign, and I know my grandfather spent most of his time on Cape Helles; presumably working on a Naval shore party seeing the boats carrying troops in and out. As a child I used to play with his entrenching tool in my grandma's back garden in East Ham!

The ships logs are at the National Archives in London, but sadly they don't give much detail.

Hope that helps.

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Your great great uncle's service register, listing all the ships he served on will be in ADM 188 at Kew.

A scan or a picture of the Turkish star would help identify it. The Turks or their representatives gave out a lot of medals to British personnel before WW1.

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Jules, got this on the Implacable but don't know anything about the medals.

HMS Implacable

Built Devonport Dockyard, laid down July 1898, completed September 1901, cost £1,063,616.

Size:

Length 411 feet waterline 431 feet 9 inches overall, beam 75 feet, draught 26 feet 9 inches, displacement 14,658 load 15,805 tons deep.

Propulsion:

2 shaft Triple Expansion, 15,500 ihp, 18 knots

Trials:

Implacable 15,262 ihp = 18.22 knots

Armour:

9in belt, 12in barbettes, 10in gun houses, 3-1in decks

Armament:

4 x 12in 40 cal BL (2 x 2), 12 x 6in QF (12 x 1), 16 x 12pounder QF (16 x 1), 6 x 3pounder (6 x 1), 4 x 18in TT

World War 1 Service:

5th Battle Squadron Channel Fleet.

Late October 1914 attached to the Dover Patrol for bombardment of the Belgian coast.

March 1915 transferred to the Dardanelles.

25 April 1915 supported landings at Helles.

22 May 1915 detached to the Adriatic to support the Italian Navy.

November 1915 3rd Detached Squadron at Salomika supporting the blockade of Greece.

November 1915-April 1916 Suez Canal Patrol.

April 1966 refit at Plymouth.

June 1917 present at Athens for the abdication of the King.

March 1917 paid off so crew could be used for anti-submarine ships.

March 1918 depot ship.

1921 sold for scrapping.

Best wishes

David

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Jules

A couple of mentions in "Dardanelles - A Midshipman's Diary", H.M.Denham (on board the Agamemnon):

[1915]

Sunday May 9th. 5.30. Came to anchor off Cape Helles in order to change places with Implacable. ................... Very peaceful day. ................

Tuesday May 11th. Weighed at 5.30a.m. and proceeded Cape Helles to coal. .................... Asiatic batteries dropping many shells into Seddul Bahr, and Implacable, being new on the job, cannot stop them, so the Admiral has ordered us to resume our original jobs this morning.

Cheers, Frev.

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Quotation..........

Gallipoli The Allied Failure

by T.H.E. Travers

(http://www.worldwar1.com/neareast/gallfail.htm)

'....Since the Helles area was specifically chosen for the major landing because naval gunfire would be available, it is surprising to read that Admiral Wemyss' naval conference of 21 April left open the very important question of whether ships would shell the coast ridges or the beaches during the landings, although the earlier plan had been to shell the beaches. The naval attitude evidently was that it did not matter particularly which option was chosen, the men would get ashore and automatically fight forward as of old. But it did not matter. Only at "X" Beach did Captain Lockyer bring HMS Implacable close in to support the landing with his 12-inch guns and largely make it successful, while it seems that Captain Davidson of HMS Cornwallis could have saved many lives at "V" Beach if he had just brought his ship around after landing his charges at "S" Beach, as originally instructed.'

Mark

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The medal is the Turkish War Medal awarded for distinguished service. It was instituted very early on and it was certainly awarded for the Turkish victory in the Dardanelles on 18th March 1915. This may have begun the common but erroneous practice of calling it the Gallipoli Star. Perhaps your relative got it from a PoW?

Lockyer, the Implacable’s captain, was an expert seaman and navigator; he was involved in surveys and charting off east Africa, the Mediterranean, Newfoundland and the English Channel. As Navigating Officer of the Fearless in 1891-93 during their survey at Mudros, his team was worked particularly hard by their Captain, A. C. Corry RN. Lockyer had his revenge however when he named four hills around the harbour mouth; Yam, Yrroc, Eb and Denmad. Apparently Corry never bothered to read these names backwards! [May Corry be damned]

Confidence in his own and his team’s ability also allowed him to go out on a limb at Gallipoli. On 21st April 1915 at a captains meeting with Wemyss in the chair, the Chief of Staff, Roger Keyes opposed Lockyer’s idea for a bombardment on the way in to the beaches; “You will never be able to pick up the range quick enough.” Despite this, Lockyer, ably supported by his gunnery officer, Lt-Comm. John Scott RN, went ahead anyway.

On the night of 23rd April, the infantry sailed for Tenedos, where their transports lay during the day of the 24th and at about 7 p.m. that evening they trans-shipped to the Implacable. She sailed for Gallipoli at about 10.30 p.m. that night. “They [Implacable] fed the men in the evening and gave them a splendid meal at 03.30 a.m. in the morning, which made all the difference to them in the bad time coming.” Lockyer had an anchor slung over the bow on a spar and he took the Implacable in towards the beach until the anchor dragged. The bombardment started at 04.45 a.m. and the fusiliers started off in their tows at about 05.15 a.m. The Implacable got to within 450 yards of the beach; closer than any other big ship that day.

“As we got to shore the Implacable raised her sights and fired further over our heads. We got off very lightly while getting ashore; I can only put it down largely to the way our mother-ship plastered the beach for us at close range” Lt-Col Henry Newenham, 2nd R.F.

Lockyer’s tactic of getting in close was taken-up by others the next day e.g. the Albion at V Beach, but what a pity that they were not more widely adopted on the 25th [and how many lives could have been saved if they had?]

The picture below is clipped from a photograph which appears as the Frontispiece to ‘With the Twenty-Ninth Division in Gallipoli’ by Rev. O. Creighton, originally published in 1916 but today available as an N & M reprint. It shows “HMS Implacable firing, with 2nd Royal Fusiliers in boats, towed by pinnaces making for landing on ‘X’ Beach” and has the following additional note “This photograph must be unique. Taken on a mine-sweeper at dawn on April 25.”

Regards

Michael D.R.

post-386-1118246630.jpg

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  • 6 months later...
Guest Paul Timms

All,

Apologies for the rambling title of my first post.

I have recently started researching my Great Great Uncle, Henry James Anstead 179989 and his career. My Dad has his medals (War Medal,Victory Medal,14-15 Star and DSM) i have downloaded his records and have the London Gazette for his award. All are delightfully vague. He won the medal serving on the Implacable at Gallipoli this is confirmed by both my other sources. My Dad vaguely remembers that his Dad said Uncle Harry was in the boats that took the soldiers ashore.

He was a career sailor (joined as a boy in 1896) and at the time was an acting CPO (NS). Anyone know what trade this is ?

I have tried to attach his record but the system says it is too big can anybody advise what to do as i have seen others attached on the forum.

Can anyone advise me of any other places to look to unravel more.

Thanks

I have more questions about him and my G.G. Uncle Phillip who i believe was on the Iron Duke at Jutland but i'll save them for later.

Paul

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Paul,

Welcome to the forum, good luck with your research.

CPO(NS) is a Rank not a trade the NS stands for New Service suggesting he was promoted Chief Petty Officer after 1st October 1907.

His trade will be in the Sub Rating column.

Regards Charles

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Hello Paul and welcome aboard.

The Implacable took troops on board at a rendevous point and headed for X beach.

The troops were in two tows going in, then released to head for the beach.

From the account I have (Naval Operations) it is not clear that the towboats were provided by Implacable but I would think that would be the case.

No further details given, except the statement that it was a model landing.

Best wishes

David

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  • 2 weeks later...

Paul ,

If you can post a scan of his SR (theBadges & Sub Ratings column) I can tell you what his rating/trade was,

Bryan

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  • 3 years later...

Captain Hughes C. Lockyer's little book* arrived just in time for the anniversary today. It describes the landings and the part played 94 years ago by his ship, the Implacable. A useful addition to any Gallipolian's bookshelf, not least because Lockyer is able to correct several published accounts regarding the manner of his ship's approach to the beach.

"Having taken up position on the correct bearing of X Beach distance three miles, the troops were then embarked in the transport boats and formed up in tow of four picket boats, two on each side – abreast of after funnel, another two tows formed up on starboard side these containing troops for W Beach.

Whilst the boats were taking station, the starboard anchor was cased down and cable veered to 1½ shackles, the cable was then stoppered to the riding bitts with three inch lashings and half a shackle ranged ready for running – so that the stopper carried away on the anchor taking the ground. This was done owing to the probable inaccuracy of the chart, and the certainty of getting in as close as possible without risk – the engines being put to full speed astern directly the stopper parted . (See note 1)"

Note 1 read as follows

"No spar was used as stated in the Official History, this being an impossible operation. Col. Newenham mistook our 'mine rake' bowsprit as having something to do with it – also see his report of landing and page 91 in 'With the 29th Division' by Creighton."

If any 'salt' can translate the nautical terms which Lockyer uses in the second paragraph above, then this PBI will be very grateful

25th April 1915 – In Proud Memory

[*The book is 'The Tragedy of The Battle of the Beaches' - an N & M reprint]

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This is the book's sketch illustrating the Implacable's approach to X Beach and her covering fire

ImplacableatXBeach25April19150001.jpg

The scale had to be clipped in order to re-size the sketch

but the distance between the 'Ship commenced' and 'Ship ceased fire' marks is just less than 2,000 yards

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Michael

Very interesting diagram. Are there many other plans or maps included in the book?

Regards

Brian

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Good grief - didn't even know such a book existed! That was my grandfather's ship - he was part of the detail sent to row in some men from 1st LFs which what I presume that arrow going towards W Beach indicates? Will have to get this.

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Brian & Paul,

The book is small and short; about A5, with 21 pages plus two diagrams. Lockyer's introduction explains his objective in writing the book thus

"Although many books on the Gallipoli Campaign have been written during the last 21 years (he was writing in 1936) I have found no mention of the fatal mistake made four days before the landings – the cause of the terrible casualties suffered ..."

Here Lockyer is referring to the decision not to shell the beaches themselves, but rather to concentrate the ships' fire on the ridges behind the beaches. Roger Keyes for one thought that the ships could not 'range' on the beaches while under weigh.

Lockyer's Implacable was the only ship to give such close support that day, and he gives the credit to his gunnery officer, the late Commander J W Scott, DSO. However, as the ship's captain, the decision was Lockyer's.

"There being only three days before sailing and all the Infantry GOC's being afloat this sudden alteration of orders probably never reached them in time to protest – as I imagine they all would have done. Neither did I ever hear of it officially." There is something of Nelson's blind eye in this last statement of Lockyer's

Lockyer was one of the naval officers who in 1913 attended the Senior Officers Course at the War College Portsmouth. During this time they had a fortnight at the Staff College, Camberley on amphibious warfare "where it was impressed upon us that no landing should be attempted until the covering ships had thoroughly shelled the beaches and their approaches and they rapped it in on every occasion possible."

Those who landed at X Beach from the Implacable were lucky when compared to the rest. Captain Clayton of the Lancs. Fusiliers who landed at W Beach is quoted as saying "We thought nothing could live but as a matter of fact they bombarded too far inland..."

............................................................

I'm still hoping that one of our real sailors here can explain

"the starboard anchor was cased down and cable veered to 1½ shackles, the cable was then stoppered to the riding bitts with three inch lashings and half a shackle ranged ready for running – so that the stopper carried away on the anchor taking the ground"

in simple terms for us lesser mortals

best regards

Michael

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HMS Implacable covered the landings by the 2nd Royal Fusiliers. Here is one medal group to a soldier that managed to get ashore, as the bombardment made initial opposition ineffective. At the end of the day, the casualties were still high.

Kind regards,

Lars

Pte L/14788 George Sangster

_7A_0008-1.jpg[_5A_0006.jpg

George Sangster was born in 1890 in St John’s Wood, Marylebone, London.

Son of Harry (a builders labourer) & Isabella with brothers Alfred and Harry, sisters Rose and Clara.

George enlisted in London, and was with the 2nd Royal Fusiliers that was among the first to land at Gallipoli 25th april 1915.

They landed at “X” Beach, half the battalion in boats provided by HMS Implacable; half from boats from other ships. HMS Implacable provided a very efficient shore bombardment with its 12 inch guns, getting close inshore. X beach was sandy for about 200 yards, with steep cliffs rising from the beach.

The landing it self did not meet any heavy opposition, but going further inland this changed. At the end of the day the 2nd had lost half their. They had by then captured Hill 114 1000 yards away, and linking up with the Lancashire Fusiliers at W beach. Hill 114 was entrenched and strongly defended, but the Fusiliers carried the position with the bayonet. An official historian wrote 'The success of the Royal Fusiliers at 'X' Beach must be set down as a particulary memorable exploit'.

The Battalion's casualties that day amounted to nearly half its strengh, and included the Commanding Officer, the Second-in-Command, and all the Company Commanders. It also included George Sangster, who was killed in action and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.

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I'm still hoping that one of our real sailors here can explain

"the starboard anchor was cased down and cable veered to 1½ shackles, the cable was then stoppered to the riding bitts with three inch lashings and half a shackle ranged ready for running – so that the stopper carried away on the anchor taking the ground" in simple terms for us lesser mortals.

The depth of water off 'X' beach was unknown but the captain wanted to get as close in as possible. He had a bow anchor veered (paid out) on 1.5 shackles of anchor cable (1 shackle = 12.5 fathoms, so about 110 feet of cable). The anchor would then be hanging perhaps 75 feet below the waterline. The cable on the forecastle was then secured by 3" cordage to a strong point on deck and a further half shackle of cable laid out on deck behind that. When the anchor hit the bottom on the run-in it would dig in and the strain would break the rope stoppers, allowing the extra half shackle of cable to run. At the same time the ship went full astern and was brought to a halt at anchor with two shackles of cable in a safe depth of water.

In effect the anchor was used as a huge sounding rope.

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Thanks for high lighting this book, it sounds worth having.

Remembering them all.

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"the starboard anchor was cased down and cable veered to 1½ shackles, the cable was then stoppered to the riding bitts with three inch lashings and half a shackle ranged ready for running – so that the stopper carried away on the anchor taking the ground"

Called Club-hauling a standard practice used by survey ships (Capt Lockyer was a Surveyer) to get as near to the shore as possible without going aground, when the ship was brought up by her anchor 450 yards from shore she was drawing 29 feet of water leaving one foot under her hull.

He put himself at cosiderable risk in doing this, from 1000 yards out they recieved considerable small arms fire he was in "Monkey Island" the compass platform which was sandbagged.

REgards Charles

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My thanks to Lars for the interesting insight into one who went in to X Beach under the cover of the Implacable's fire

Thanks also to H2 and Charles for providing the explanation of Lockyer's very able seamanship

Papmpt – the little book is well worth the very reasonable price

Implacable had one casualty that day; Fleet Surgeon Adrian A. Forrester RN

who was killed on the quarter deck just before he was about to leave for the beach to attend to wounded

In her boats the Implacable had one more man killed; OS Thomas Copeland J 25104 (Dev)

and five men were wounded

For a few days the Implacable also had four men missing, however they turned up a little later dressed in odd bits of army uniform. Brought before Lockyer they had no real explanation for their absence but when one told him 'We had a hell of a time' all he could do was congratulate them on still being alive.

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This photo was taken at 6am on the 25th Apl 1915, the Implacable ceased firing her 6inch to lower and load boats at about 1800 yards, the QF guns have opened onto the ridges whilst the boats go in.

Not sure where the original would be this is out of a book.

Regards Charles

post-7039-1240678630.jpg

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