18th March/Mart 1915

[michaeldr]

The plan as envisioned by Vice-Admiral Carden and his successor de Robeck

 

 

 

 

 

The situation late in the afternoon

 

Edited 18 March , 2019 by michaeldr

[michaeldr]

As seen by the Ottoman defenders

 

Edited 18 March , 2019 by michaeldr

[alantwo]

Michael

 

This is may be of interest from the excellent web-site naval-history.net.

 

Link: https://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-01-HMS_Vengeance.htm

 

I haven't checked all the ships but there is also a log for HMS Albion for that day.

 

Regards

Alan

OBSERVATION PARTY H.M.S. VENGEANCE. 18/3/15

 

0.5 French ship ‘Bouvet’ Heeled over to starboard and sank in between 1 and 2 minutes. Much black smoke pouring out. Magazine exploded.

0.35 Vengeance short of No 19 fort.

0.37 Q.E. short of No 19 fort.

       Vengeance hit No 19 fort.

0.38 Vengeance short.

0.40 Vengeance short.

0.41 Vengeance short.

0.43 Vengeance HIT No 19.

       Shot fell    200 yards ahead of Vengeance.

0.44 Vengeance HIT on left of No 19.

       Shot fell     200 yards on bow of Vengeance.

0.46 Vengeance HIT.

       3 shots from field battery 200 yards over Vengeance.

0.47 Vengeance HIT.

       3 shots from field battery on North shore on starboard bow.

0.48 1 shot from No 7 just over Vengeance. It appears that the field guns are used as ranging guns for battery near them.

       B group firing at North shore.

0.50 1 shot just over Vengeance. 3 just on Port quarter.

0.51 Vengeance HIT No 19 6” guns at ridge on port quarter. Results obscured by own smoke.

0.56 Vengeance HIT No 19 fort. No19 fired close to Albion.

1.0 Vengeance HIT No 19 fort….. 6” guns firing at small steamer near No7.

1.1 Vengeance HIT to left in town of Chanak.

       No 19 fired 3 shots down centre.

1.3 B group still firing at boat. Vengeance HIT No 19 fort.

       No 19 fort fired 3 shots.

1.5 B group firing at 2 floating mine cases on port bow.

       Vengeance short of No 19.

1.8 No 19 fired 4 shots, fell near southern shore. 1 shot near Vengeance 150 yards short.

1.9 No 19 300 yards short of Vengeance. Bits falling on ship. 2 shots near Irresistible.

1.11 Albion premature burst.

1.13 Vengeance HIT to left of No 19.

1.14 Vengeance 2 shots from after turret HIT No 19 fort.

       3 6” shots on ridge.

       Shot fell 500 yards short of Vengeance.

1.16 Albion HIT No 19 fort.

       No 13 fired 500 yards short of Vengeance.

1.17 Vengeance after turret 2 shots.

1.18 Vengeance 3 6” rounds.

1.19 Vengeance 2 rounds after turret.

       1 6” round.

1.20 Vengeance 2 6”. All the above rounds obscured by own smoke.

       Shot fell 400 yards short of Vengeance.

       Shot just over Vengeance.

1.22 Shot 300 yards short of Vengeance.

1.24 No 19 fort straddled Irresistible.

1.25 Vengeance HIT No19 fort.

1.27 No 19 short of Irresistible.

1.28 Vengeance short of No 19. No’s 13 and 19 fired close to Irresistible.

1.30 Vengeance HIT on left of No19. Vengeance HIT No 19.

1.33 Shot hit No 19 twice.

1.34 Two shots into No 19.

1.35 Vengeance at ridge on North side.

1.37 Q.E. into No 19.

1.39 Vengeance into No 19. No 13 fired X.

1.40 shot short of No19. Vengeance HIT No 19.

1.41 Vengeance HIT No 19. Shot 200 yards short on starboard bow.

1.44 Vengeance HIT No 19.

1.45 Vengeance HIT No 19.

1.46 Vengeance over ridge on north side.

1.50 Vengeance to left of No 19. Shot 200 short on starboard bow.

1.52 shot 200 yards short on starboard beam. Vengeance firing onto ridge on north shore. ? fired 4 shots all round Majestic.

1.55 shots over Majestic.

1.56 Vengeance starboard guns on north shore ridge.

1.59 Two shots 500 yards short on starboard beam. Vengeance starboard guns still firing at north ridge.

2.2 Vengeance two shots on north side close to ridge.

2.5 Vengeance two shots over Suan Dere river into gorge.

2.14 One shot 10 yards over Vengeance on port bow. Vengeance 600 yards short of No 19.

2.20 Irresistible listing to starboard.

2.30 Vengeance firing at guns on south side.

2.55 Vengeance two shots X.

2.57 Vengeance firing at ridge beyond Arun Kioi. Swiftsure into Arun Kioi.

3.3 Vengeance on the ridge south side.

3.19 Vengeance X.

3.22 Vengeance firing at cliffs and ridge on north side.

3.36 Vengeance firing at ridge on south side.

3.39 Vengeance firing into wood south side.

3.45 Irresistible listing more over to starboard. 7 destroyers round her.

3.58 No’s 7 & 8 forts firing at Irresistible.

3.59 No 8 two shots astern of Irresistible. No 7 two shots at Irresistible.

       Vengeance HITTING in No 7 fort.

4.1 No 8 four shots, one hit Irresistible. Vengeance 200 yards short of No 8.

4.3 Vengeance HITTING No 7 field gun in front of No 7 firing.

       Vengeance HIT left hand top edge of No 8.

4.4 Ocean, who had gone up to tow Irresistible out was turning out and has been hit on starboard quarter as well as by a mine or torpedo and commenced to list to starboard badly.

No 8 two shots close to Irresistible, Vengeance HIT No 8.

4.5 Vengeance half way up bank of No 8.

4.6 Vengeance two shots right hand top edge of No 8.

4.8 Vengeance near top bank of No 8.

4.10 Vengeance into No 8 6” into wood on south side.

4.14 Vengeance hit No 8. Also over and to left of No 8.

4.17 Vengeance on bank of No 8. Also at bottom of bank of No 8.

4.20 Vengeance short on bank of No 8. Vengeance HIT on top of bank.

4.23 Vengeance on top of bank of No 8.

4.24 Vengeance on top bank.

[michaeldr]

Thank you for that addition

Well remembered Alan

 

Not forgotten on the 104th anniversary

Edited 18 March , 2019 by michaeldr

[john white]

Dear Members

                  Great Maps and an interesting thread, A basic question. If the Naval  attack had been successful as conceived by Winston Churchill, what would the subsequent role of the army have been? From what I have read  the possibility of  army involvement was only looked at seriously from the middle of February 1915.

                                      Regards

                                            John White

 

[michaeldr]

John,

 

my idea in this thread was to recognise the anniversary using the maps of the opposing sides sides

 

Regarding your question:- If the Naval  attack had been successful as conceived by Winston Churchill, what would the subsequent role of the army have been? 

 

There was a meeting of the War Council on 8^th January 1915.

Those present were Asquith (chair), Haldane, Crew, Churchill, Balfour, Fisher, Wilson, Lloyd George, Grey, Kitchener, Wolfe Murray and Hankey (secretary).

 

Various ideas to break the stalemate on the WF were discussed (including a memo from Sir John French to Kitchener)

 

Churchill suggested that “the proposals for an attack from the south should form the subject of careful Staff examination.”

Kitchener then went through various options as they had been examined by the War Office:

landing a force at Ragusa – ruled out

Salonica – only if Greece came in too

The Dardanelles - “appeared to be the most suitable objective, as an attack here could be made with Russia; settle the Near Eastern question; draw in Greece and, perhaps, Bulgaria and Roumania; and release wheat and shipping now locked up in the Black Sea.

Hankey thought this would provide access to the Danube and “a line of communication for an army penetrating into the heart of Austria and bring our sea power to bear in the middle of Europe.”

Kitchener thought 150,000 men would be sufficient

Lloyd George thought this figure low

Also discussed were

an attack/landing at Alexandretta

bringing Holland into the war

a naval attack on Zeebrugge

 

 

It seems to me that it was a cabinet decision, rather than that of one sole member.

Churchill did say however that he “fully agreed in the proposal to study the suggested operations in the Mediterranean. He urged, however, that we should not lose sight of the possibility of action in Northern Europe.”

 

the subsequent role of the army – would have been to open a another front against the Central Powers and (presumably) to join in the safeguard of  Russia's access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, ensuring that their wheat and shipping became available to the allies.

[john white]

Dear Michael

              Thanks for your reply and my apologies in the delay in responding. Yes, it seems that the acceptance of Army involvement was earlier than I thought. One other point. If the war had continued into 1919 the Admiralty planned another attack  on the Dardanelles. Academic I know, but how would it would have been done differently. Has anything been published regarding this plan?

                                      Regards

                                             J W

[michaeldr]

I think that you have mentioned this before John

I for one was not aware of this plan for 1919, until you referred to it