DARDANELLES' HISTORY.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15999, 30 May 1924, Page 4

DARDANELLES' HISTORY.

A FORGOTTEN DOCUMENT. “V” BEACH GENIUS. Fresh light on the ill-fated Dardanelles campaign (1915 to 1916) was thrown ty General Sir lan Hamilton, speaking at Hull. Sir lan spoke of the morning of March 12. 19.15, when Lord Kitchener sent for him. “He looked up and said, ‘We are sending a military force t.o support the Fleet now at the Dardanelles, and you are Lo have command.”’ Within twenty-four hours, declared Sir lan. he must receive Ids instructions; select, a staff; get Ihe hang of the Dardanelles and of the nature ol' the whereabouts of his new force—and bundle off! As was to be expected, he ‘continued, all sorts of things were overlooked in so much agitation. For instance, in 1906 the General Staff had drawn up a considered memorandum, with a great deal of information, upon the question of forcing the Dardanelles. But the Geenral Staff were in France, and no one at the War Office knew of the existence of the document. Not till 1916, long after the last of our troops had quitted the Gallipoli Peninsula, did iic himself ever near of it. 13 on Friday, the 13th. “So now,” Sir lan added, “you see cur party of Id officers starting off on March 13—a Friday—for the Dardanelles. My instructions, on a halfsheet of foolscap, were vague.” Sir lan spoke of the operations that followed. “V Beach," lie said, “had we but know it. was next door to impossible landing. Our evil genius had plancdn our ruin there, and yet, at the last hour, good angels came ■and saved us by sending into the naval, minds the thought of bow, by the gift of a wooden horse, Troy and all her (iladcls had fallen. Commander Unwin was Mie name of the hero who had Ihe brain wave, arid as he is miraculously slid alive, I can still take my hut, off when I meet him. ■ “So it came about Ihal. Admiral Wenivss fixed up an old steel-built I ramp steamer called l Ik? hirer Clyde lo bear within her womb two battalions of infantry. . . Not enc of our men would have returned lo toll the tale, but for the liiver Clyde—sold now to the Spaniards by a Government of spendthrifts who could find millions for any d Hung except sentiment.”