Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches from the Dardanelles, etc.Hamilton, Ian
History
Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatches from the Dardanelles, etc.
Hamilton, Ian
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula
The British repeatedly counter-charged with the bayonet, and always
drove off the enemy for the moment, but the Turks were in a vast
superiority and fresh troops took the place of those who temporarily
fell back. Colonel Koe (since died of wounds) had become a casualty
early in the day, and the number of officers and men killed and wounded
during the incessant fighting was very heavy. By 7 a.m. on the 26th
only about half of the King's Own Scottish Borderers remained to man
the entrenchment made for four times their number. These brave fellows
were absolutely worn out with continuous fighting; it was doubtful
if reinforcements could reach them in time, and orders were issued
for them to be re-embarked. Thanks to H.M.S. _Goliath_, _Dublin_,
_Amethyst_, and _Sapphire_, thanks also to the devotion of a small
rearguard of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, which kept off the
enemy from lining the cliff, the re-embarkation of the whole of the
troops, together with the wounded, stores, and ammunition, was safely
accomplished, and both battalions were brought round the southern
end of the peninsula. Deplorable as the heavy losses had been, and
unfortunate as was the tactical failure to make good so much ground
at the outset, yet, taking the operation as it stood, there can be no
doubt it has contributed greatly to the success of the main attack,
seeing that the plucky stand made at Y beach had detained heavy columns
of the enemy from arriving at the southern end of the peninsula during
what it will be seen was a very touch-and-go struggle.
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 with every gun she could bring to bear.
Thus seconded, the Royal Fusiliers made good their landing with but
little loss. The battalion then advanced to attack the Turkish trenches
on the Hill 114, situated between V and W beaches, but were heavily
counter-attacked and forced to give ground. Two more battalions of
the 87th Brigade soon followed them, and by evening the troops had
established themselves in an entrenched position extending from half a
mile round the landing-place and as far south as Hill 114. Here they
were in touch with the Lancashire Fusiliers, who had landed on W beach.
Brigadier-General Marshall, commanding the 87th Brigade, had been
wounded during the day's fighting, but continued in command of the
brigade.
THE LANDING FROM THE "RIVER CLYDE"
The landing on V beach was planned to take place on the following lines:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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