Beach under Shell Fire
The beach here was very narrow and continuously under shell fire. The difficulties of disembarkation were accentuated by the necessity of evacuating the wounded; both operations proceeded simultaneously. The service was one which called for great determination and coolness under fire, and the success achieved indicates the spirit animating all concerned. In this respect I would specially mention the extraordinary gallantry and dash shown by the 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade (Colonel E. G. Sinclair Maclagan, D.S.O.), who formed the covering force. Many individual acts of devotion to duty were performed by the personnel of the Navy; these are dealt with below. Here I should like to place on record the good service performed by the vessels employed in landing the second part of the covering force; the seamanship displayed and the rapidity with which so large a force was thrown on the beach is deserving of the highest praise.
On the 26th the landing of troops, guns and stores continued throughout the day; this was a most trying service, as the enemy kept up an incessant shrapnel fire, and it was extremely difficult to locate the well-concealed guns of the enemy. Occasional bursts of fire from the ships in the Narrows delayed operations somewhat, but these bursts of fire did not last long, and the fire from our ships always drove the enemy's ships away.
The enemy heavily counter-attacked, and though supported by a very heavy shrapnel fire he could make no impression on our line which was every minute becoming stronger. By nightfall on April 26 our position north of Gaba Tepe was secure.
The landing at the southern extremity of the Gallipoli peninsula was carried out under the orders of Rear-Admiral R. E. Wemyss, C.M.G., M.V.O., his squadron consisting of the following ships:
| Battleships. | Cruisers. | Fleet Sweepers. | Trawlers. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiftsure | Euryalus | 6 | 14 |
| Implacable | Talbot | ||
| Cornwallis | Minerva | ||
| Albion | Dublin | ||
| Vengeance | |||
| Lord Nelson | |||
| Prince George |
Landings in this area were to be attempted at five different places; the conditions at each landing varied considerably. The position of beaches is given below.
Position of Beach.—Y beach, a point about 7,000 yards north-east of Cape Tekeh. X beach, 1,000 yards north-east of Cape Tekeh. W beach, Cape Tekeh—Cape Helles. V beach, Cape Helles—Seddul Bahr. Camber, Seddul Bahr. S beach, Eski-Hissarlik Point.
Taking these landings in the above order: Landing at Y Beach.—The troops to be first landed, the King's Own Scottish Borderers, embarked on the 24th in the Amethyst and Sapphire, and proceeded with the transports Southland and Braemar Castle to a position off Cape Tekeh. At 4.0 a.m. the boats proceeded to Y beach, timing their arrival there at 5 a.m., and pulled ashore covered by fire from H.M.S. Goliath. The landing was most successfully and expeditiously carried out, the troops gaining the top of the high cliffs overlooking this beach without being opposed; this result I consider due to the rapidity with which the disembarkation was carried out and the well-placed covering fire from ships.