Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 18
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[Page 18]
the Australian Troops.
Friday April 9th
I had very comfortable quarters assigned to me on the "London", being given the Captain's spare cabin, which was large and airy, and a good room for me to work in. At this time the greater number of the French and English battleships were lined in Mudros Bay, whilst the cruisers, the destroyers were engaged in covering the passage of the numerous transports from Alexandria to Mudros. The Expedition had to be taken to Alexandria to enable all the units to be resorted and reorganised before the disembarkation could be attempted on the Gallipoli Coast. Two divisions of the Fleet took it in turns to cruise off the mouth of the Dardanelles and up and down the Coast watching the enemy's movements. No one knew exactly what troops the Turks had on the Peninsular, and what preparations they were making to resist an attempted landing. In the afternoon Captain Armstrong took me on board the "Queen" to call on Admiral Bailey, who commanded the second Division.
I had a short talk with him, and found him an extremely agreeable man, and fully alive to the difficulties of our task ahead. The Captain and myself then rowed ashore to Tenedos, to visit the Aviation Grounds, which had been established on the island, under the charge of the well known naval airman Commander Samson. The ground might have been specially made for the use of our aviators, as it is absolutely flat, and any small rises had been removed by the Greek labourers. Samson was away on a flight, so we passed some of the time looking around, and examining the various types of naval bombs. He came in shortly afterwards, and the Captain arranged about some