On the outbreak of war he commanded a Cruiser Force, and on the retirement through illness of Vice-Admiral Carden in 1915 he was appointed acting Vice-Admiral in Command of the British Eastern Mediterranean Squadron at the Dardanelles, March 17th, and directed the Naval operations carried out in March and April of that year. It was during this period that the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was landed and firmly established on the Gallipoli Peninsula. In his despatch published in the "London Gazette," July 6th, 1915, General Sir Ian Hamilton said, "Throughout the events I have chronicled, the Royal Navy has been father and mother to the Army. Not one of us realises how much he owes to Vice-Admiral de Robeck." Later in the year Sir Ian Hamilton wrote: "The sheet-anchor on which hung the whole of these elaborate schemes was the Navy. One tiny flaw in the mutual trust and confidence animating the two services would have wrecked the whole enterprise. Experts at a distance may have guessed as much: it was self-evident to the rawest private on the spot. But with men like Vice-Admiral de Robeck, Commodore Roger Keyes, Rear-Admiral Christian, and Captain F. H. Mitchell at our backs, we soldiers were secured against any such risk, and it will be seen how perfect was the precision the sailors put into their job." [Illustration: VICE-ADMIRAL SIR JOHN M. DE ROBECK] Vice-Admiral de Robeck also commanded the Naval Forces which took part in the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula between November 20th, 1915, and January 9th, 1916. He was appointed a K.C.B. on January 1st, 1916, in recognition of the services he had rendered during the war. He is a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and holds the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure (First Class), and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy. VII VICE-ADMIRAL TREVYLYAN DACRES WILLES NAPIER, C.B., M.V.O. VICE-ADMIRAL TREVYLYAN DACRES WILLES NAPIER, C.B., M.V.O., entered the Navy as a cadet in 1880, becoming a midshipman two years later. He served in the Egyptian War on board the "Minotaur," receiving the Egyptian Medal and Khedive's Bronze Star. On February 14th, 1887, he was promoted Lieutenant, becoming a Commander on January 1st, 1899. He served in command of a Destroyer Flotilla, and in the Royal Yacht and attained the rank of Captain on June 30th, 1903. Between 1904 and 1907 he was Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir John Durnford on the Cape Station, and from 1907 to 1910 commanded the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, and commanded the "Bellerophon" from 1910 to 1912. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the King on January 14th, 1913, and on July 1st of the same year was appointed Commodore in command of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, which command he held till December 1st. [Illustration: REAR-ADMIRAL T. D. W. NAPIER]