[185] The movements of Hill’s battalions, and their relation to Sitwell’s are difficult to follow, chiefly owing to the changes of command and intention. After speaking of these changes, Sir Ian in his dispatch continues: “I have failed in my endeavours to get some live human detail about the fighting which followed.” The detail has now been largely supplied by Major Bryan Cooper in The Tenth (Irish) Division in Gallipoli, pp. 127–135. In the main, I have followed his account, the chief outstanding difficulty being the presence of the 6th Lincoln and 6th Border Battalions, which did not belong to Sitwell’s or Haggard’s Brigades, but to Maxwell’s (the 33rd). Major Cooper says two battalions of the 11th Division reinforced Hill’s column, and Sir Ian mentions those two as distinguished at the taking of the hill. But how they came to be under Sitwell’s command, or under Hill’s, is not yet clear. I can only suppose that, as Sitwell’s force could not or did not move, General Hammersley ordered Maxwell to send them over from Lala Baba. After Brigadier-General Haggard was wounded, Colonel J. O‘B. Minogue (9th W. Yorks) took temporary command of the 32nd Brigade.
[186] Sir Ian’s dispatch.
[187] For an account of the thirst, see Sir Ian’s dispatch and The Tenth (Irish) Division, pp. 137, 145, 148, 157–158. Also Suvla Bay and After, by Juvenis, pp. 37, 40–43, where the services of the destroyer to the 10th Division are mentioned.
[188] Sir Ian’s dispatch.
[189] The water question was much disputed at the time, and many contradictory versions were given. I have here followed the account given me in recent (1917) conversation by a naval officer who was closely connected with the superintendence of the landing. The real causes of the thirst, in any case, were the want of receptacles and the distance from the firing line. As to the failure at A Beach, it must of course be remembered that the naval chart was old and useless, and no survey had been possible without betraying the point chosen for landing.
[190] Sir Ian’s dispatch.
[191] So as not to interrupt the narrative, one is obliged to mention only in a note the remarkable achievement of our submarines on this critical and unfortunate day. In order to help E14, which was already in the Sea of Marmora, E11 had forced her way through the nets in the Straits, and on the 8th torpedoed a Turkish warship coming down towards Maidos with reinforcements.
[192] Turkish information has since shown that Liman von Sanders had brought up two divisions (7th and 12th) by forced marches from Xeros.
[193] The Tenth (Irish) Division, pp. 158–161.
[194] One of these was called A East, the other A West. Between them was Kangaroo Beach, where the Australian Bridging Train built a landing-stage. They also built a very useful little pier close to the “cut” into the Salt Lake, chiefly for the service of the wounded being taken off to hospital ships. Of the Suvla beaches A West was the most generally used, though a small harbour was afterwards blasted out of the rocks at the extreme point.