Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 43
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[Page 43]
of Sir Ian Hamilton himself. He said that just when he was overwhelmed with anxiety over the attack on the various beaches at Cape Helles, and the failute of the troops to get ashore from the "River Clyde", that at midnight he received Birdwood's letter stating the position, and leaving it to him to decide whether they should endeavour to hold on, or a attempt to withdraw the troops. Sir Ian rightly gauged the situation and saw it would be utterly impossible to get them off, and he therefore signalled that they must hold on at all cost. At the same time, the news was received of the successful venture of the Australian submarine which had gone up the Dardanelles and sunk I believe, two transports in the Marmora. Sir Ian ordered this news to be circulated amongst the troops on shore to encourage them to fresh exertion. I don't suppose it ever reached the firing line, and what really saved the situation was the sudden cessation of the Turkish attacks at midnight, which gave the Australians the chance of temporarily entrenching themselves and to prepare against the attacks which they knew must dome in the morning.
Monday April 26th
We were all up at dawn to take fresh stock of the situation. A Turkish warship sent over several salvos of big shells from the Straits, but fortunately these missed everything, although one apparently struck the "Majestic", but as a matter of fact it burst in the water just alongside her throwing up a tremendous column of water. Throughout the morning the Turks delivered a tremendous counter -