SECRETS OF DARDANELLES

Evening Star, Issue 22194, 23 November 1935, Page 22

SECRETS OF DARDANELLES

THE HAV.YIS PART Hector C. Bywater, ‘ Daily Tele* graph’ naval correspondent, writes: — The full story of the Navy’s share in the Dardanelles campaign, the greatest amphibious operatich in modern history, has remained untold until now. Mr E. Keble Ghatterton’s new book, 1 Dardanelles Dilemma,’ .'dcibf tumeh to fill this gap in the literature of the war. It is a fine piece of descriptive writing, which does justice to friend and foe alike, and elucidates many incidents which have hitherto been obscure. The experiences of every ship that took part in the great naval bombardment of March 18, 1915, are narrated in vivid detail, the-,author had access to diaries and other first-hand impressions. r ' His summary of the evidence leads him to the' conclusion that the Navy alone never had the, slightest chance of forcing the Dardanelles a verdict which directly challenges that of Sir Roger Keyes, the late Lord Wester Wemyss, and other high officers who were present at the operation. This, however, is one of the few controversial subjects raised in the book. New light is shed on the Gallipoli landings in April, the gallant work of the mine-sweepers, the advent of German submarines, atid: the final evacuation of the terrain which had been won at such terrible cost. GERMAN’S HEROISM. A Tine example Of British chivalry is narrated in connection with the fight* ing at Morto Bay. The Turkish troops, under heavy shrapnel fire from the fleet, were reluctant to advance. “ A German officer,, as wo could tell by his uniform, wishing to set them an example, walked slowly out in front of the fort and stood there facing ua with his hands behind his back. Presently one of our Gin shells burst on the hillside just below him. It seemed almost at his feet. “ When the snioke ;had cleared away he was still standing > there. _We took care not to fire at ;him .again. Presently he strolled to the trench just behind the top of the hill, and reappeared dragging a Turk by the scruff of his neck with each hand. Pulling them in front of the fprt, he threw them into the trench there. Then -the rest followed. He had obtained hisob* ject. “ As is well known, our fleet off Gal* lipoli included a number of ‘ dummies *• —merchant ships simulating men-of« war. One evening the German TT-hoat commander saw what he took to bh the great battle cruiser Tiger. “He promptly gaye her a torpedo, and she soon plunged to the bottom. Hersing was congratulating himself on a noble ‘ hag ’ when to his bewilderment he saw the. groat 13. Sin guns of the sunken ship floating in the water!” Another good story concerns the secret charting of Lemnos Island by a British naval officer/ long before the war. Thanks to thisVunofficial piece of secret service work ‘the Admiralty possessed accurate charts of Mudros when that harbour was required as a base.