BOMBARDMENT OF THE DARDANELLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2415, 22 March 1915, Page 5

BOMBARDMENT OF THE DARDANELLES

HOT WORK IN THE NARROWS THREE BATTLESHIPS SUNK BY DRIFTING MINES BIG FORT BLOWN. UP BY . THE ALLIES } -V ,? r ' ms Mimster has received the following message from the Hieh Commissioner, dated London, March 20, 12.40 a.m.:— The Admiralty announce that In the Dardanelles mine-sweep-ing progressed during the last ten days Inside the Straits, and that a general attack was delivered by the British and Frenoh fleets on Wednesday, Naroh 17, upon the fortresses in the Narrows of the Dardanelles. ,10.45 a.m. The Queen Elizabeth, Inflexible, Agamemnon, and Lord Nelson bombarded forts J, l. m. U, and v, while the Prince George fired at the batteries at F. E. and H. A heavy fire was opened cn the ships from howitzers and field guns. '.12.22 p.m. A French squadron, consisting of the. Suffren, Caulols, Charlemagne, and Bouvet advanced In the Dardanelles, engaging the forts at oloser range. Foits J, U, F, and E replied strongly, their fire being silenced by the ten battleships Inslda the straits, all the ships being hit several times during this part of the action. 1.25 p.m. All the forts then oeased firing. The Vengeance, Irresistible, Albion, Ocean, Swlftsure, and Majestic advanced to relieve the six old battleships, which wore Inside the Straits. As the French squadron, which had engaged the forts In a most brilliant fashion, passed out the Bouvet was blown up by a drifting mine, slnkHg in several fathoms of water, north of Aren Klol, In less than three m!n« utes. v ' 2,36 p.m. The relief battleships named above renewed the attack on the forts, who again opened fire. The attaok was maintained while the operations of the mine-sweepers were continued, 4.9 p.m. The Irresistible quitted the line, listing heavily, ano sinking at 8.50 p.m., having probably struck a drifting mine. • 9.5 p.m. The Ocean also struck a mine, both vessels sinking In deep water. Practloally the whole of the orews were removed safely under a hot fire. The Caulols was damaged by gun fire. The Inflexible had her forward control position hit by a heavy shell, and Is requiring repair. Tho bombardment of the forts and the mine-sweeping operations terminated on'the fall of darkness. The damage to the forts effected by the prolonged dlreot fire by the very powerful forces employed cannot yet be estimated. A further leport following. The losses of ships were caused by mines drifting with the current, and encountered In areas hitherto swept clear of danger, and therefore requiring in future special treatment. The British casualties in personnel were not heavy, considering the scale of the operations, but practically the whole of the crew of the Bouvet was lost with the ship, an Internal explosion apparently supervening on the explosion of the ; mine. The Queen and Implacable have been dispatohed from England to replaoe the ships' oasualtles, In anticipation of this operation, and ■ they are due to arrive immediately, thus bringing tin British fleet up to the original strength. The operations are continuing, and there are ample naval and military forces available on the spot. On Tuesday Vioe-Admlral Carden was incapacitated by illness, and was succeeded In the ohief command by Rear-Admiral de ro.beck, with the acting rank of Vice-Admiral. 'ACCOUNTS BY EYE-WITNESSES OP THE OPERATIONS. (By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright.) (Roc. March 21, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 20. An account-of the operations in the Dardanelles from I'euter'scorrespondent at the island of Tenedos states that a small crowd watched the operations from the summit of Mount Elias. The warships steamed from their anchorage near the jsland and entered the. Straits, in sincla filsj and thou spread out in semi-circles.

The first notable 'hit was made by the Queen Elizabeth after an hour's bombardment, when a great balloon of smoke leapt hundreds of feet into the air from tlio magazine Chanak. Within the nest twelve minutes four shells dropped on the ruins, but t'he Turkish batteries continued to reply. The firing was erratic, though there were many good shots. Shortly after noon a waterplane left Ark .Royal and flew over both shores of the Straits, and the Turks vainly shelled it. Two more heavy explosions at Chanak followed. Two ships meanwhile steamed constantly up and down a two-mile stretch, then two approached the Narrows. The Turks opened a furious bombardment, and several shells took effect on both ships. The Queen Elizabeth's shell at 3 o'clock caused a terrible explosion at Kilid Bahr, throwing up a gigantic spurt of flame and a cloud of smoke. Two batteries, apparently movable, suddenly opened fire near Kcphez Bernu, but the Queen Elizabeth soon silenced them. At nightfall Ohaiiak was in flames. The warships are still in the Straits. THE QUEEN ELIZABETH'S MAGNIFICENT SHOOTING. , ■ £ „ ~ Ma " ta > March 20. The firing of the Queen Elizabeth was the talk .of. the whole fleet. While at anchor she frequently shelled forts at a distance of fifteen miles. When the landing parties of the Naval Division went ashore to complete the demolition they were tired upon by strongly entrenched Turks, whom the aeroplanes failed to discover. Nineteen naval men were killed and a number wounded. The Turks were later driven out. PAVING THE WAY FOR FORCING THE NARROWS. ~ • Athens, March 20. i t\ j n cer s cs ™at the purpose of the six hours' bombardment of. the Dardanelles was to pave the way for forcing the Narrows between Kilid- Bahr and Chanak. Two thousand shells -were fired. There was no idea on tho 18th of completing the enterprise. _ Many were killed and wounded within the forts which suffered great damage. The Allied squadrons re-entered the Straits at 9.30 a.m. on tho 19th. The bombardment is proceeding. Repairs to the Gaulois will take only a few days. She is now anchored at Icnedos. 'lhe Inflexible was struck by a. sliell on the bow, and left the Straits convoyed by two cruisers. ' A shell also exploded oil the Infloxible's deck, killing forty and wounding many. THE FRENCH DIVISION WIN THE ADMIRATION OF i THE BRITISH. na> • i in. -Li- Paris, March 20. Official.—There were sixty-four survivors from the Bouvet. The casualties on the other ships were slight. With vigour the French division performed an honourable task, and won I the high appreciation of the British 6ailors. THE OBJECT OF THE AMETHYST'S DASH , ~ , Malta, March 20. The object ot the cruiser Amethyst's dash -was to cut the Kilidbahr-Chanak cable, and succeedcd, but was* detected when, she began the return, journey, and was obliged to run the gauntlet of several forts. BRITISH CASUALTIES IN THE DARDANELLES. The High Commissioner reports:— _ , . London, March 21, 1.20 a.m. The Admiralty announces the following casualties of officers of the Irresistible in the Dardanelles operations: Three killed, one missing and believed to bo dead, and one severely wounded. PANIC CAUSED IN CONSTANTINOPLE. Petrograd,; March 20. ■ Official.—The Russian Squadron approached the Bosphorus, which caused a panic in Constantinople.' DETAILS OF THE BRITISH SHIPS IN ACTION. The Queen Elizabeth is a super-Dreadnought, with a displacement of 27,500 tons. Her armament consists of 8 15in. guns, 16 6iu., 12 4in. _ antiaerial, and 4 3pdr. She has four submerged torpedo-tubes, tiring 21in. torpedoes. The Inflexible is a battle-cruiser, completed in 1907. She displaces 17,250 tons, and her armament consists of 8 12in. guns and 16 4in. She has three torpedo-tubes, firing 18in. torpedoes. Her complement is 760. The Lord Nelson and Agamemnon are sister-ships, and both were completed in 1906. They displace 16,500 tons, and their armaments comprise 4 12iri. guns, 10 D.2m.,'10 12pdr., 16 3pdr., and 2 maxims. They have five tor-pedo-tubes for on the broadside and one astern, firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 865. The Swiftsure, which was purchased from. Chile on the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese war, is a battleship of 11,800 tons, her armament comprising 4 lOiu. guna, 14 7.5 in., and a number of smaller cannon. She has two torpedotubes, firing ISin. Complement, 700. _ The Irresistible and Implacable are sister-ships, with a displacement of 15,000 tons. The armamont cofisists of 4 12in. guns, 12 Gin., and smaller artillery. They are fitted with four toipedo-tubes, firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 730. The Queen displaces 15,000 tons, and was built in 1902. ■ Her armament consists of 4 12in. guns, 12 6in., and smaller artillery. She is fitted with, four torpedo-tubes, firing ISin. torpedoes. Complement, 750. The Albion, Ocean, and Vengeance are sister-ships, cach having a displacement of 12,950 tons. The armament consists of 4 12in. guns, 12 6in., and smaller weapons. Thev are fitted with four torpedo-tubes, firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 750 _ _ . The Prince George and Majestic were built in 1895, and displace 14,900 tons. The armament consists of 4 12in., 12 6in., and smaller guns. There are four torpedo-tubes (one above water), all firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 757. THE FRENCH WARSHIPS ENGAGED. i The Suffren was built in 1899, andhas a displacement of 12,750 tons. Her armament consists of 4 12in., 10 6.4 in., and smaller guns. She has four torpedo-tubes, two above water and two submerged, firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 730. The Gaulois and Charlemagne are sister-vessels, built in 1896 and 1895 respectively. The displacement is 11,260 tons, arid the main armament consists of 4 12in. and 10 5.5 in, There are four torpedo-tubes, firing 18in. torpedoes. Complement, 631. The Bouvet, 12,205 tons, was built in 1896. Her main armament consisted of 2 12in., 2 10.8 in., and 8 o.Sin. guns. Four torpedo-tubes, two submerged and two above water, firing 18in. torpedoos. Complement, 630.