DARDANELLES FAILURE.

Shannon News, 29 April 1924, Page 4

DARDANELLES FAILURE.

AN ADMIRAL’S DIARY. ! _____ ' The latest series of extracts from the diary of Admiral Lord Wemyss, who commanded the Allied fleet at the Dardanelles, is published- below: — Writing in his diary on October 22nd/ Admiral Wemyss mention's that Admiral Keyes had gone to London; with Admiral De Robecks ’, consent,' to' submit a plan for rushing a squadron through the Dardanelles, though De Robeck actually did hot regard » the project favourably. On returning from Salonika, Admiral Wemyss found that' General Monro, who had succeeded General Sir lan Hamilton, had’ report-' ed unfavourably on the military situation, and recommended immediate cvacation. The deteriorating health of the troops induced this view, though their morals was unimpaired. Admiral Wemyss believed a new offensive would have an electrifying effect. 1 Lord-Kitchener arrived on November 9thj and telegraphed a fortnight later recommending the evacation of Suvla and ; Anzac and the retention of Cape Holies.

Admiral Wemyss mow succeeded Admiral De Robeck, and pressed afresh the : project for rushing ' the' fleet through. General Monro strongly dissented. A long exchange of views ended on December Bth in the decision to evacuate Anzac and Suvla. Admiral Wemyss thought the decision ! a disastrous mistake, but says': “Evidently the military view prevailed arid the western school gained the day.” The Admiralty held that the arguments against the fleet project was dverwh'olming, but favoured the holding of Cape Hellos, and the mouth' of the Straits, as the beginning points if a future attack was decided on.

Admiral Wemyss counter-proposed the capture of Achi Baba, but’ military opposition triumphed. “This was the last effort on my part to shape the course of events,” he wrote. “My only choico was to' bow to the decision of the Government.”

Recapitulating the events leading up to the launching of the first attack, Admiral Wemyss mentions that Lord Fisher opposed it and contemplated resigning, but Lord Kitchener dissuaded him, against his better judgment. Lord Fisher even maintained a hostile silence in the War Council discussions, which Mr. Winston Churchill interpreted as assent. “It must remain a matter for surprise,” says Admiral Wemyss, “ that a man Of Lord Fisher's autocratic temperament in an outstanding position, didn't make greater effort to give expression to his disapproval of a project which the Council of Defonce' had'pro* viously pronounced ' unfeasible. The blame’for the failure must be attributed to the system which places the direction of naval operations in hands devoid of all knowledge and experience necessary for the' task, and, moreover, immune "from the conseqrieilces of their actions.” —Copyright- by Curtis Brown.