Item 02: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett articles on the Gallipoli campaign, 1915 - Page 19
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 19]
So the fight raged whilst the 2nd Division under Captain Hayes Sadler entered and relieved the French ships. This Division consisted of the Ocean Irresistible [space] ? The Queen E and Lord Nelson were also hit. Shortly after 3pm our fire started a blaze in an oil tank behind No I3th and for 20 minutes a huge dense oall of black smoke arose over the Narrows. No 19 now opened fire on the 2nd Division the splashes of the I4in shells were prodigous raising columns of water to an immense heighth.
The minesweepers closed in at 3-10 to sweep a Channel to Kephez Point. A few shrapnel were fired at them but on the whole the concentration on the big ships left them unmolested. They went up to the 2nd Division and turned running down with sweeps out exploding one mine in the sweep and bringing two others to the surface. These were fired on by picquet boats. It has been though that the previous sweeping of this Channel may have released the mines which subsecquently caused such serious loss to the fleet.
At all events shortly after 4 the Inflexible was struck by a mine foreward which flooded her fore submerged flat. She was able to leave the Straits under her own steam and to proceed to Tenedos. At 4-15 the Irrestible was also struck and listed to starboard. Caught in a back ourrent she drifted up towards Kephez. Destroyers went to her assistance, and inspite of a galling fire from the forts and field batteries brought off all her crew. The Ocean was then ordered to take her in tow and inspite of