The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division 1914-1918 — John Shaqi
The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division 1914-1918Gibbon, Frederick P.
History
The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division 1914-1918
Gibbon, Frederick P.
Great Britain. Army. Division, 42nd; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Towards the end of the month the submarine menace developed into a very
real danger to the men-of-war in these waters. The battleship _Triumph_
was torpedoed on May 25 as she lay at anchor with nets out, off Anzac.
She sank in ten minutes with a loss of ten officers and sixty-eight
men. Two days later, the _Majestic_, Rear-Admiral Nicholson’s flagship,
lying off Cape Helles, fell a victim to the same German submarine, and
sank in six fathoms. Fortunately all but forty-eight men were saved.
This disaster was witnessed by many of the Territorials on the beaches
and cliffs. As other British and French battleships were attacked by
submarines about the same time, it became clear that naval co-operation
must be dispensed with, or considerably reduced, as ships at anchor
offered too easy a target for torpedoes.
The _Queen Elizabeth_ had been ordered home on the first hint of
danger, and now all the large ships were sent back to the safety of
Mudros, and the regatta-like gathering at the mouth of the Dardanelles
melted away. The Turk promptly seized the opportunity for propaganda
purposes. An ingeniously worded pamphlet, printed in English, French, and
Hindustani, and dropped from aeroplanes, notified the invaders that all
their battleships and transports had been destroyed, that the Germans
had gained control of the seas, and that no further supplies need be
expected. “Don’t take our word for it, but see for yourselves. Last week
you saw a large fleet of all kinds of vessels off Cape Helles. Look for
it to-day. You have fought bravely; give yourselves up now to an enemy
who respects your valour and will treat you well.” Tommy laughed. He had
got his rations for the day, and the morrow would take care of itself.
On the 25th of May the designation of the Division was changed, and as
the “42nd (East Lancashire) Division” it took precedence in numerical
order of all other Territorial divisions. The Lancashire Fusilier Brigade
became the 125th Infantry Brigade; the East Lancashire Brigade the 126th;
and the Manchester Brigade the 127th. On May 27 the 126th Brigade was
split up among various battalions of the 29th Division in order to bring
those depleted battalions up to strength pending the arrival of drafts
from England.
CHAPTER III
GALLIPOLI
(_June 1915—January 1916_)
The situation in Gallipoli on the 1st of June, 1915, was disappointing.
Much more had been hoped for than had been accomplished, and the loss
incurred for so small a gain had been three times as great as the
_maximum_ for which the authorities had made preparation.
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