"THIS PICTURE SHOWS A ZEPPELIN FLYING OVER HELIGOLAND,
POSSIBLY THE BASE FROM WHICH THE EAST COAST RAID WAS
DIRECTED" - The above was published in the British Western Mail on the
21st January 1915, in response to a German Airship attack on the Norfolk
Coast. German Zeppelins were a constant security threat in the lead-up to
the Gallipoli Campaign (below).
[Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive]
April 12th
We had to have all lights out on a/c of some rumour that a german airship had made its appearance during the day and was observed by one of the hydroplanes attached to our Cruisers. It is lovely weather just now - crisp - cool - very refreshing.
12 April - To-day all our ships boats were lowered and crewed by our lads. It was practice & exercise at the same time. We ascertained that the Queen Elizabeth who we heard had done such great work at the Dardanelles was in the harbour and had only taken a little part the operations against the Forts. We were told that as no Infantry had occupied the Forts which had been shelled the Turks had again taken possession. Part of our work when landed will be to hang on to these captured Forts. A party of O.C. left today in the Queen Elizabeth to see the effect of some shelling. This harbour of Mudros is only about 50 miles from where we are supposed to land.
Our Boys came back [illegible] full of the cleanliness of the villages ashore.
[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - William Sparkes diary]
12 LEMNOS 8pm
Received General BIRDWOOD circular Appendix No 1
Received General BIRDWOOD circular Appendix No 1
Major Hughes' copy of General Birdwood's circular (mentioned above),
signed by General Birdwood & attached to the Unit's official war diary.
signed by General Birdwood & attached to the Unit's official war diary.
Monday 12th April
Today is probably the commencement of most unique
and interesting experience for me. About 7AM a pinnace from the "Queen
Elizabeth" took us off with other officers, and about 8.30 she moved away
from her mooring. Gen Sir Ian Hamilton was aboard together with three other
Generals of his Staff whom as yet I do not know, our three Infantry Brigadiers
with their staffs and sundry other O.C.s. I was the only Artillery officer present, Col Hobbs, Christian and Johnstone not having
yet arrived in Port. The first impression my mind and vision received of this
monster Battleship was one of awe. A description of her as far as I am able I
will note later.
Just after leaving "prayers" were said in
which we all joined, and it appears a nice feature of naval life that the sailor
who does not know whether today shall be his last or not, has at all events
opportunity given him to place himself under the care of the Almighty. After
service all the men ran round and round the deck at a smart double to the
accompaniment of bright lively tunes from the Ships band. This continued for 5
minutes, and on a blast from a bugle the whole crowd halted and instantly
commenced doubling in the opposite direction as if to unwind their previous
movement. At the end of the second 5 minutes the same procedure took place
again, giving in all 15 minutes smart doubling, the middies accompanying the
men. There followed a few minutes physical exercise prior to dismissal to their
various duties.
They look a fine hefty lot of men.
We had not proceeded very far before speed was
increased and soon we were dashing through the water at 25 knots. The ship was
like a rock, no movement, but the wash astern was tremendous. One sea came on
the after deck and gave some of our officers as well as naval officers a wetting.
We have passed two French submarines the "Le
Voisier" and "Coulumb", both very queer looking craft. In
passing I may mention I was today told that our A.E.2 is due here from Malta in
a day or two and is to do duty here. As we neared the Dardanelles we saw three
rather fine looking battleships, and when passing about 500 yd from them I
enquired their names. I was informed they were merchant service ships, rigged
as dummies; funnels, guns, wireless gear, fighting tops etc. They are evidently
serving a very useful purpose in "bluffing" the Turks.
When we came off the entrance to the Dardanelles
course was set up the West Coast of the Gallipoli peninsula at a distance of
probably six or seven thousand yards from the shore. Just about this time a
Destroyer of the "Beagle" class (a later class from Australian
"River" type) joined us and convoyed us round till the time for
leaving in the afternoon.
As we were coming up to the entrance we could see
on our left at some distance the fleet of Men O’ War standing by, and actually
at the entrance three Men O’ War and a Destroyer. Two of the Men O’ War were
"proping off" in the direction of Troy, searching for Field Howitzers
and incidentally practising communication by wireless from Aircraft working in
conjunction with them and "spotting" their shooting for them. We
could see the flashes of discharge at the ships side, and bursts of shell on
main land.
The third Man O’ War was the
"Swiftsure" and the Admiral of the "Queen Elizabeth" (Vice
Admiral de Roebeck) told me she would be shooting later in the day. We followed
up the Coast as far as "Suvla Bay" and "Cape Suvla", then
turned and came back, but this time much nearer the coast, being I estimated
between three and four thousand yards off shore. We were asked not to show
ourselves but to remain under cover, which we did. On the run back along this
coast the engines were reversed (to test some work recently completed) and for
a little time we travelled stern first. At this juncture 4 shots were fired at
us presumably from 6" guns ashore. The shells hit the water with a big
splash some hundreds of yards in front of us. I made rough sketches of the
Country in outline as seen from the ship, and there appeared to me to be quite
a number of suitable landing places, but "Suvla Bay" appears to be
the best spot, and from my observations of today I hope the Artillery will be
directed to this Bay. The Country looks very well. Green sward intermingled
with scrub, and altogether it looks quite good country to work in. The High land
in vicinity of Trig Station 706 at narrowest part of Peninsula is apparently
strongly held, any number of trenches being visible. They may be dummies, but
at all events they are sited on a very commanding height.
We crossed the entrance to Dardanelles from North
to South, then steamed for some distance along the coast on the Asia Minor
side. Here again I made some more outline sketches. The large village of
"Yeni Shehr" had been heavily bombarded and certainly showed the
result in the ruined condition of its buildings.
Passing further south we saw a big group of Man o’
War. (I should say about 50 of all classes and nationalities) at anchor under
the lee of Tenedos island. Then we headed for home and reached the moorings in
Mudros Bay at 6PM.
The officers on the ship were particularly kind to
us, and went to no end of trouble to explain everything possible. We all had an
opportunity of examining the mechanism of the wonderful 15" guns and saw
them loaded. The whole process only takes about a minute. We saw the record of
rounds fired by one forward 15". The Gun Layer had marked in pencil on the
inside of the Turrett "Angry Rounds"
March 3rd .......... 11 Kilid Bahr
March 18th .......... 32 Chanak
I do not know how many rounds the others fired.
Shrapnel for 15" is carried on board. One can hardly imagine the scatter
of bullets from one round if nicely burst in air. The eight 15" guns
constitute the main armament, and in addition there are a
number of 6" and Anti Submarine and Aircraft guns. Eight torpedoes are
carried aft with two tubes, and I understand the same forward.
Ship is driven by turbines, with oil fuel. Engine
and boiler rooms spotlessly clean. The "Queen Elizabeth" has in all
been hit 15 times, chiefly with Field Howitzers, doing practically no damage
except to wooden decking. One shell about 2/3 the size of our 18pr entered the
side of Ward room, then burst, the bullets scoring the top of the heavy Cedar
tables and spattered in inside partition, the case going through. In making its
entry the shell cut a piece out of the ship’s side, about 10" long and
about 6" wide. These trophies have been mounted. The shell on a board, the
fragments of ships side as a gong, and the gunmetal fuze from the shell fitted
to an ebony handle and used as a striker for the gong. Luckily no one was
present in the Ward room when the visitor called. Altogether the day was most
interesting and instructive.
When I finished dinner I reported to Col Hobbs (who
had arrived in Port during the day) and was informed I am to go up again tomorrow
in the "Queen", also a fine Man o’ War, and I am given to understand
that I shall in all probability have the honour of directing the first Field
Artillery to commence Land operations.
On Colonel Hobbs ship I met a brother of Major
Macksworth. He also is a major and belongs to the Flying Corps. He is to assist
the navy by "Spotting".
[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - G00447]
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