The Dardanelles

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 242, 22 March 1915, Page 5

The Dardanelles

THREE BATTLESHIPS LOST. TWO BRITISH; ONE FRENCH. , BY DRIFTING MINES. A TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT. LAND PARTIES TAKE A HAND. TURKISH FIRE MORE DESTRUCTIVE.

•Per Press Association.—Extraordinary Cable. Received March 20, 3.15 p.m. London, March 19. The Admiralty announces that the British battleships Irresistible and Ocean and the French Fattleship Bouvet Were mined and sunk in the Dardanelles, and the British battleship Inflexible damaged. Received March 21, 8 p.m. London, March 20. The Admiralty" reports that the Queen Elizabeth, Inflexible, Agamemnon, Lord Xelson, Triumph, and Prince George, on the morning of the 18th, bombarded the forts, which replied with heavy howitzers and field-guns.

The French ships the Siiffren, Gaulois, Charlemagne, and Bouvet were closer in, and four forts were silenced. All the ships were hit several times.

The Vengeance, Irresistible, Albion, Swiftsure, and Majestic relieved the other ships. The French ships also returned.

The Bouvct struck a drifting miDe, and sank near Arenkios in three minutes.

Tiie relief battleships engaged the forts at 2.30, and mine-sweeping proceeded.

The Irresistible quitted the line line shortly after 4 p.m., listing heavily. She had probably been struck by a drifting mine. The battleship sank in forty minutes later.

The Ocean sank soon after. Practically the whole of the crews were removed, under a hot fire.

The Gaulois was damaged by gunfire, and the Inflexible was hit by a heavy shell, and requires repair. The bombardment and mine-sweeping continued until dark. The damage to the forts has not been ascertained. The warships were sunk in areas which had been previously, swept for mines. Provision will be made to meet these dangers.

The British casualties were not heavy, considering the scale of the operations. The battleships Queen and Implacable arc due at the Dardanelles immediately. Operations are continuing, there being ample naval and military forces on the spot.

An internal explosion occurred on the Bouvct after she was mined.

Vice-Admiral Garden, in charge of tlie Dardanelles operation, is ill, and was succeeded on the 16th by Viw-Adniiral D« Roto**, ■;

Paris, March 20.

It is unofficially stated that the Gaulois will be out of action for a time. The Henry IV. will replace the Bouvet immediately.

Though our losses were painful, these Vill not arrest the progress of operations.

Tenedos, March 20.

Observers on Mount Elias saw a terrific explosion and immense flames at Chanak and Kilibah. Both places are afire ill several quarters. London, March 20.

An account of the Dardanelles engagement from Kcutcr's Tenedos correspondent says a small crowd watched operations on the IStli from the summit of Mount Elias. The warships steamed from their anchorage near the island and entered the straits in single file, and then 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 a magazine at Chanak. Within tho next twelve minutes four shells were dropped on the ruins, but the Turkish batteries continued to reply. Their firing was erratic, though they made many good shots.

Shortly after noon a waterplane left the .Arkroyal and flew over both shores of the straits. The Turks vainly shelled it. Two more heavy explosions at Chanak followed.

The ships meanwhile steamed constantly up and down a. two-mile stretch. Then two approached the Narrows. T'lc Turks opened a furious bombardment, and several shells took effect on both ships. The Queen Elizabeth fired a shell at three o'clock, which caused a te.rrilie explosion nt Kidil Balir, with a gigantic spurt of (lames and a cloud of smoke. Two batteries, apparently movable, suddenly opened fire near Kephezburma. but the Queen Elizabeth soon silenced them. At nightfall Chanak was in flames, and the warships were still in the traits. Paris, Marcb '.'.o. It is oflicially reported that there are sixty-four survivors of the Bouvet. The casualties oh the other ships wcri slight. The Vigor, of the French division, pelformed an honourable task and wen high appreciation of the British sailors. Athens, March 20. A British officer states that the purpose 'of the six hours' bombardment of the Dardanelles was to pave the way for forcing the Narrows between Kidil Balir and Chanak. Two thousand shells were fired. There was no idea on the 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 D.30 on the lath, and tha bombardment is proceeding. Repairs to the Caulois will take only a few days. She now is anchored at Tcnedos.

Tlie Indexible was struck by a shell on the bow, and left the Straits convoyed by two cruisers. A shell also exploded on the Inllexible's deck, killing forty and wounding many. Malta, March 20'. Tlie firing of the Queen Elizabeth is the talk of the whole ileet. While at anchor she frequently shelled forts effectively at a distance of twelve miles. When landing parties of the naval division went ashore to complete the demolition, they were fired upon by strongly entrenched Turks j whom aeroplanes had failed to discover., Nineteen of the naval men were killed, and a number wounded. The j'urics wtr» later driven out. FURTHER DETAILS. FROM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. Wellington, Saturday. The Prime Minister has received the following message from the High Commissioner:—■ London, March 20. The Admiralty announces that the Dardanelles mine-sweeping operations progressed for the last ten days inside the Straits. A general attack was aelivercd by the British and French fleets on Wednesday upon the fortresses at the Narrows in the Dardanelles. At 10.45 a.m. the Queen Elizabeth, Inflexible, Agamemnon, and Lord Nelson bombarded the forts J t L, M, U, and V, while the Triumph and Prince George lired' at the batteries F, E, and 11. A heavy fire was opened on the ships from howitzers and field-guns. At 12.22 a French squadron, consisting of the SulTren, Gaulois, Charlemagne, and Bouvet, advanced in the Dardanelles, engaging tlie forts at closer range. Forts J, U, F, and E replied strongly, their fire being silenced. Ten battleships were inside the Straits, all the ships being hit several times during this part of the action.

At 1.25 p.m. all the forts had ceased firing. The Vengeance, Irresistible, Albion, Ocean, Swiftsure, and Majestic advanced to relieve the six old battleships inside the Straits.' As the French squadron, which had engaged the forts in ; the most brilliant fashion, passed out, flic Ttouvet was blown up by a drifting mine, sinking in fathoms of water north of Aren Kios in less than three minutes.

At 2.36 p.m. the relief battleships renewed the attack. The forts opened the attack, which was maintained while operations with the mine-sweepers were continued.

■At 4.9 p.m. the Irresistible quitted the line, listing heavily and sinking at 5.30, having probably struck a drifting mine. At 6.5 p.m. the Ocean also struck a mine, both vessels sinking in deep water. Practically the whole of the crewg were removed safely under a hot fire. The Claulois was damaged by gunfire. The Inflexible's forward control position was hit by heavy shell, requiring repair. .

The bombardment of the forts and the mine-sweeping operations terminated with the fall of darkness. Damage to the forts was effected 4>y a prolong. Cd direct firo. Very powerful forces \vere employed, but damages liaVfi not yet been estimated.

A further report states that the loss of the ships was caused by mines drifting with the current. The mines were encountered in areas hitherto swept clear. This is a danger requiring special treatment.

The British casualties were not heavy, considering the scale of operations; but practically the whole of the crew of the Bouvet were lost with the ship, an internal explosion apparently supervening on the explosion of the mine. The Queen and Implacable, despatched from England to replace ship casualties, in anticipation of this operation, arc due to arrive immediately, thus bringing the British fleet up to its original strength.

Operations are continuing. There are ample naval and military forces available on the spot.

On Tuesday Viec-Adniiral Garden was incapacitated by illness, and was succeeded in the chief command by RearAdmiral De Robcck, with the acting rank of vice-admiral.

THE LOST VESSELS. Irresistible.—Built in 1(102, 15,000 tons, 15,000 h.p., speed 18 knots, armament four 12-inch guns, twelve (5-inch guns, (A sister-ship to the ill-fated Bulwark.) The Ocean. —liuilt in 1!)0I, 12,050 tons, 13,500 h.p., speed 18'/. knots, armament four 12-inch and tweleve 0-inch guns. Bouvet, the French vessel. —Was built in IS9B. She. was 12,007t0n5, with a speed of IS.B knots. Her armament wag two 12-inch and two 10-inch guns. OTHER BRITISH VESSELS ENGAGED. Queen Elizabeth. —Built: 1015, 27,500 tons, 55,000 i.li.p.. speed 25 1 knots, armament eight 15-inch guns and sixteen Uinch. Inflexible.—Built 1008, 17,250 tons, 41,000 i.h.p., speed 27 knots, armament eight 12-inch and sixteen 4-ihCli guns. Agamemnon.—Built 1008, 10,500 tons, 10,750 h.p., speed 18'/ s knots, aramament four 12-ineh and ten !).2-inch guns. Lord Nelson.--Sister-ship to the Agamemnon.

Prince George—Built 1800, 14,000 tons, 12,000 h.p., speed Hi knots, armament four 12-inch and twelve 6-inch guns.

Triumph.—Built ] 004, 11.955 tons, 12,500 li.p., speed IOVi knots, armament four 10-inch and fourteen 7.5-inch guns. Albion.—Built 1901, 12,950 tons, 13,500 h.p., speed 18'/ 2 knots, armament four 12-inch and twelve 6-incli guns. Vengeance. -Sister-ship to the Albion. Swiftsure—Built 1004, 11,800 tons, 12,500 h.p., sliced 19Va knots, armament four 10-inch and fourteen 7.5-inch guns. Majestic.—Sister-ship to the Prince George.

Implacable.—Built 1001, 15,000 tons. 15.000 h.p., speed IS knots, armament four 12-inch and twelve G-inch guns. Queen—Sister-ship to the Implacable.