Volume I Part 3 (1/2)
Hoas it going to end? How touching the devotion of all these s escort? Onwards, at snail's pace, ht at any moment be transformed into a funeral affair, but sloent we yet went fast enough to give the go-by to the French battleshi+p _Gaulois_, also creeping out towards Tenedos in a lamentable er to stand to and save
The _Inflexible_ ed to crawl into Tenedos under her own stearound on soht out so as not to be in the way of the Navy at a tione ten miles or so, the _Phaeton_ intercepted a wireless fro the _Ocean_ to take the _Irresistible_ in tow, from which it would appear that she (the _Irresistible_) has also met with some misfortune
Thank God ere in ti We have seen a spectacle which would be purchased cheap by five years of life and, limpse of the forces of the enemy and of their Forts What with ean coast of the Peninsula and the battle in the Straits, I begin to forood luck than good guidance I have got into personal touch with the outer fringes of the thing we are up against and that is so ood But oh, that we had been here earlier! Winston in his hurry to push rip than those who said there was no hurry It is up to est them and to turn myself into the eyes and ears of the War Office whose own so far have certainly not proved themselves very acute How much better would I be able to make them see and hear had I been out a week or two; did I know the outside of the Peninsula by heart; had I made friends with the Fleet! And why should I not have been?
Have added a PS to K's letter:--
”Between Tenedos and Le by what has coht up to Bulair and down again to the South-west point looking at the network of trenches the Turks have dug co places, we turned into the Dardanelles themselves and went up about a mile The scene hat I believe Naval writers describe as 'lively'”
(Then follows an account based on s) I end:
”I have not had time to reflect over these ht information the extent of these losses
Certainly it looks at present as if the Fleet would not be able to carry on at this rate, and, if so, the soldiers will have to do the trick”:
”Later
”The _Irresistible_, the _Ocean_ and the _Bouvet_ are gone! The _Bouvet_, they say, just slithered down like a saucer slithers down in a bath The _Inflexible_ and the _Gaulois_ are badly mauled”
_19th March, 1915_ _HMS ”Franconia”_--Last night I left HMS
_Phaeton_ and went on board the _Franconia_ To-day, we have been busy fixing things up The chance sailors, seen by the Staff, have been using highly coloured expletives about the mines Sheer bad luck they swear; bad luck that would not happen once in a hundred tries They had knocked out the Forts, they claim, and one, three-word order, ”Full steam ahead,” would have cut the Gordian Knot the diplo their old Turkey in two Then ca which mines set loose from up above had time to float down the current, when, by the Devil's own fluke, they ie upon our battleshi+ps, and blow de Robeck and his plans into the middle of next week--or later! These are ward-rooes and never h to the Mar him of yesterday's reconnaissance by me and the battle by de Robeck Have said I have no official report to go upon but fro most reluctantly driven to the conclusion that the Straits are not likely to be forced by battleshi+ps as at one time seemed probable and that, if my troops are to take part, it will not take the subsidiary form anticipated The Ars of parties to destroy Forts, it ressive th so as to open a passage for the Navy”
To be able, if necessary, to act up to e to the Admiral and told him, if he could spare the troops froht off to Alexandria so as to shake the He has wirelessed back askingthe troops ”until our attack is renewed in a few days'
time”
Bravo, the Admiral! Still; if there are to be even a few days' delay IAnd, practically, Alexandria is the only port possible
We letter It confirms officially the loss of the three battleshi+ps:--
_Friday_
”My Dear General,
”The enclosed is a copy of a Signal I have received from de Robeck I sincerely hope that the word disastrous is too hard It depends upon what results we have achieved I think I gather fronals that the _Ocean_ also is sunk, but of this I am not quite certain I am off in _Dublin_ iht This of course depends a good deal upon what de Robeck wants
Captain Boyle brings this and will be at your disposal He is the Senior Naval Officer here in my absence
”Believe me, Sir, ”Yours sincerely, (_Sd_) ”R Weram enclosed:--
”_From_ VAEMS
”_To_ SNO Mudros
”_Date, 18th March, 1915_
”Negative demonstration at Gaba Tepe, 19th Will you come to Tenedos and seeeither to floating e HMS
_Irresistible_ and _Bouvet_ sunk HMS _Ocean_ still afloat, but probably lost HMS _Inflexible_ daunfire Other shi+ps all right, and we had much the best of the Ports”