SECRETS OF DARDANELLES

Western Star, 29 November 1935, Page 2

SECRETS OF DARDANELLES

THE NAVY’S PART Hector C. Bywater, ‘Daily Telegraph’ naval correspondent, writes.— The full story of the Navy’s share in. the Dardanelles campaign, the greatest amphibious operation in modern history has remained untold until now. Mr E.. Keble Chatteron’s new book, ‘Dardan-, ellcs Dilemma,’ doe s much to fill thia 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 eveiy ships that took part in the great naval bombardment of March 18, 1915, ar e narrated in vivid detail, the author having had access to diaries and other • first-hand impressions. llis summary of the evidence leads him to the conclusion that the Navy alone never had the slightest chance of forcing th© Dardanelles a verdict which directly challenges that of Sir Boger 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 1 th e mine sweepers, the advent of German submarines, and the filial evacuation of the terrain which had been won at such terrible cost, GERMAN’S HEROISM. A fine example of British'chivalry is mu lated in connection with the fightin-; at Morto Bay Th c Turkish troops, under heavy shrapnel fire from the Heel, were reluctant to advance. "A Geim-un officer as wc could tell by llis uniform, wishing to set them an example, walked slowly out in front' of the fort and stood there facing us with his hand s behind his back. Presently one of our 6i'n shells burst oil the hillside just bcjow him. It seemed almost at his feet.

“When the smoke had cleared away he was still standing there. We took care not to fire at him again. Presently lie strolled to the trench just behind the top of the hill, and reappeared dragging a Turk by the scruff of his neck with each baud Pulling them iit front of the fort. 1i e threw them into the trench there. Then the rest followed He had obtained-his object.

“As is well known, o ur fleet off Gallipoli included a number of ‘dummied —merchant ships simulating men-of-war, One evning the Gorman U-boat’ commander saw whai he took to be the' great battle eruispr Tiger, , ‘‘He promptly gav o her a torpedo, and sin l soon plunged to the bottom. Hersing was congratulating himself on

a noble ‘bag’ when to his liewildennent he saw the great 13.5 guns of the sunken ship floating in the water!” Another good story concerns tho secret charting of f.einno, s Island by a; British naval officer long before the war. Thanks to the unofficial piece of secret service work the Amiralty possessed accurate charts of Mudros when that) harbour was required as a base,