Honourable Mention

In my three Commanders of Corps I have indeed been thrice fortunate.

General Gouraud brought a great reputation to our help from the battlefields of the Argonne, and in so doing he has added to its lustre. A happy mixture of daring in danger and of calm in crisis, full of energy and resource, he has worked hand in glove with his British comrades in arms, and has earned their affection and respect.

Lieutenant-General Sir W. R. Birdwood has been the soul of Anzac. Not for one single day has he ever quitted his post. Cheery and full of human sympathy, he has spent many hours of each twenty-four inspiring the defenders of the front trenches, and if he does not know every soldier in his force, at least every soldier in the force believes he is known to his Chief.

Lieutenant-General A. G. Hunter-Weston possesses a genius for war. I know no more resolute Commander. Calls for reinforcements, appeals based on exhaustion or upon imminent counter-attacks are powerless to divert him from his aim. And this aim, in so far as he may be responsible for it, is worked out with insight, accuracy, and that wisdom which comes from close study in peace combined with long experience in the field.

In my first despatch I tried to express my indebtedness to Major-General W. P. Braithwaite, and I must now again, however inadequately, place on record the untiring, loyal assistance he has continued to render me ever since.

The thanks of every one serving in the Peninsula are due to Lieutenant-General Sir John Maxwell. All the resources of Egypt and all of his own remarkable administrative abilities have been ungrudgingly placed at our disposal.

Lieut.-General A. G. Hunter-Weston, C.B.

(To face page 82.)

Finally, if my despatch is in any way to reflect the feelings of the force, I must refer to the shadow cast over the whole of our adventure by the loss of so many of our gallant and true-hearted comrades. Some of them we shall never see again; some have had the mark of the Dardanelles set upon them for life, but others, and, thank God, by far the greater proportion, will be back in due course at the front.

I have the honour to be,
Your Lordship's most obedient Servant,
Ian Hamilton, General,
Commanding Mediterranean
Expeditionary Force.

PRESS BUREAU STATEMENTS

August 10

Sir Ian Hamilton reports that fighting at several points on the Gallipoli peninsula has taken place during the last few days. Substantial progress has been made.

In the southern zone 200 yards on a front of 300 yards has been gained east of the Krithia road, and has been held in spite of determined counter-attacks, which have been repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy.

Repeated attacks by the Turks elsewhere in this zone have been beaten off.

Several attacks by the French Corps have been made and their whole-hearted co-operation has proved of the greatest assistance.

In the Anzac zone a footing on the Chunuk Bair portion of Sari Bair has also been gained and a crest occupied after fierce fighting and the successful storming of strongly held positions.

Here, too, the enemy's losses have been considerable. The advance was commenced at night under cover of a searchlight from a destroyer.

Elsewhere a fresh landing was successfully effected and considerable progress made.

Six hundred and thirty prisoners have been taken together with one Nordenfelt gun, two bomb mortars, nine machine-guns, and a large number of bombs. Scattered about are quantities of the enemy's rifles, ammunition, and equipment.

August 11

The latest report from Sir Ian Hamilton states that severe fighting continued yesterday in the Gallipoli Peninsula, mainly in the Anzac zone and in that to the north.

The positions occupied were slightly varied in places, but the general result is that the area held at Anzac has been nearly trebled owing chiefly to the gallantry and dash of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, while to the north no further progress has yet been made.

The troops have inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and the French battleship St. Louis is reported to have put out of action five out of six guns in Asiatic batteries.

VICE-ADMIRAL DE ROBECK'S
DESPATCH

Admiralty, August 16, 1915.

The following despatch has been received
from Vice-Admiral John M. de Robeck, reporting
the landing of the Army on the Gallipoli Peninsula,
April 25-26, 1915:

Triad, July 1, 1915.

Sir,

I have the honour to forward herewith an account of the operations carried out on April 25 and 26, 1915, during which period the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was landed and firmly established in the Gallipoli Peninsula.

The landing commenced at 4.20 a.m. on 25th. The general scheme was as follows:

Two main landings were to take place, the first at a point just north of Gaba Tepe, the second on the southern end of the peninsula. In addition a landing was to be made at Kum Kale, and a demonstration in force to be carried out in the Gulf of Xeros near Bulair.

The night of the 24th-25th was calm and very clear, with a brilliant moon, which set at 3 a.m.

The first landing, north of Gaba Tepe, was carried out under the orders of Rear-Admiral C. F. Thursby, C.M.G. His squadron consisted of the following ships:

Battleships.Cruiser.Destroyers.Seaplane Carrier.Trawlers.Balloon Ship.
QueenBacchanteBeagleArk Royal15Manica
London Bulldog
Prince of Foxhound
Wales Scourge
Triumph Colne
Chelmer
Ribble

To Queen, London, and Prince of Wales was delegated the duty of actually landing the troops. To Triumph, Majestic, and Bacchante the duty of covering the landing by gunfire.

In this landing a surprise was attempted. The first troops to be landed were embarked in the battleships Queen, London, and Prince of Wales.

The squadron then approached the land at 2.58 a.m. at a speed of 5 knots. When within a short distance of the beach selected for landing the boats were sent ahead. At 4.20 a.m. the boats reached the beach and a landing was effected.

The remainder of the infantry of the covering force were embarked at 10 p.m., 24th.