That evening delegates from the two armies met and signed the terms of
capitulation, which were unconditional. Honours of war were accorded the
defenders, the Governor and his officers being permitted to retain their
swords. The Allies marched into the town, and on November 10 the
garrison was formally transferred. Over 4,000 Germans were sent to
Japan as prisoners, and large quantities of war material were
confiscated. The captures included 30 field-guns, 100 machine-guns,
2,500 rifles, 40 motor-cars, L1,200 in bullion, and 15,000 tons of coal.
All ships in harbour, and also the floating dock, had been destroyed,
but it seemed probable that the _Kaiserin Elizabeth_ could be
successfully raised. Sufficient provisions were found to feed 5,000
persons for three months, and the victors were able to regale their
appetites with luxuries such as butter, crab, or salmon, which were
plentiful. Looting, however, was strictly forbidden. For fastidious
persons the bath, after many weeks, was again available, and proved,
indeed, in view of steady accumulations of mud, a salutary course.
Measures, meanwhile, were at once taken to restore the town to its
normal condition. The troops and sailors were employed in removing
debris or undischarged land and sea mines. Another Japanese gunboat was
sunk, and several officers and men lost their lives, while engaged in
this dangerous work. The victory had to be paid for, indeed, with a
heavy toll of life and limb. The Japanese casualties numbered 236 killed
and 1,282 wounded; the British, 12 killed and 53 wounded. On November 16
the Allies formally took possession of Tsing-tao; and a memorial service
was held for the dead.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Plan for Dardanelles campaign.]
The plan of breaking through the Straits of the Dardanelles, and thus
clearing the way to Constantinople, is believed to have been conceived
by Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the British Admiralty. After
careful consideration it was approved by the military and naval
authorities, and plans were made to carry out the project. The initial
steps are described in the following chapter.
GALLIPOLI
A. JOHN GALLISHAW
Copyright, Century Magazine, July, 1916.
[Sidenote: The Newfoundlanders in the War.]
Husky, steel-muscled lumbermen; brawny, calloused-handed fishermen;
loose-jointed, easy-swinging trappers; athletes from the city foot-ball
and hockey teams; and gawky, long-armed farmers joined the First
Newfoundland Regiment at the outbreak of war. A rigid medical
examination sorted out the best of them, and ten months of bayonet
fighting, physical drill, and twenty-mile route marches over Scottish
hills had molded these into trim, erect, bronzed soldiers. They were
garrisoning Edinburgh Castle when word came of the landing of the
Australians and New-Zealanders at Gallipoli. At Ypres the Canadians had
just then recaptured their guns and made for themselves a deathless
name.
[Sidenote: Not militaristic.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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