Swastika meant nothing in 1900. If anything, it was a good luck symbol. Sadly, it's something else these days, of course.
Under the Southern Cross we Stand, a sprig of Wattle in our hand
- Thread starter johnboy
- Start date
Unfortunately, Sackville Carden was not a man possessed with a great sense of urgency. However, de Roebuck was much worse.
They have something very similar to landing craft now for island relief. In fact, the cruiser Terrible can carry a compliment of them, although she embarked with seaplanes instead.
Pretty dry stuff if you are not interested in Tassie postmarks or post offices, but they will be on Kindle soon, so will post up a link. There are some good social histories of some towns, but it's not really a narrative, just a collection of facts (facts that took a long time to bring together, mind). There are many historic photos scanned.
Smart to use Marines to silence the guns. First use of Special Operation soldiers in modern warfare in TTL?
Also how much better is the campaign going compared to OTL so far?
Also how much better is the campaign going compared to OTL so far?
Not really. The British used the Royal marines back in the Napoleonic days, probably even before. Well one line of mines have been cleared out of ten. None were done OTL. OTL only the outer defences were cleared, here the outer and intermediate have been done.
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5 March 1915, - Eighteen demands and their consequences
5 March 1915, Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic
Ōkuma Shigenobu had honestly thought to avoid war, drafting the initial list of Eighteen Demands, which were reviewed by the Emperor Tashio, and approved by the Diet. Ambassador Hioko Eki delivered the list to Yuan Shikai in a private audience on 20 January 1915, with warnings of dire consequences if China were to reject them. To his mind, this allowed Japan the concessions it wanted and required in China and allowed it to steer a middle ground between the Central Powers and the Entente, before finally picking a winning side at a latter stage.
The Eighteen were divided into four groups:
It was a development that thoroughly alarmed those in power in Australasia. All the navy's modern ships had been committed to the Mediterranean. What was left at home was inadequate for home defense. New ships that were laid down would not be available until 1917. Likewise, with army units, the best equipped were in the Middle East. When the terms of the Eighteen demands became word news on the 15.2.1915, Japan was widely denounced, aside from the Central Powers. By that stage, negotiations by Protectorate interests were well underway in Buenos Aires.
Three bills directing that the two Rivadavia Class battleships be sold were introduced into the Argentine National Congress in the summer of 1914, but all were defeated, although not by much. The United States, worried that its neutrality would not be respected and its technology would be released for study to a foreign competitor, put diplomatic pressure on Argentina to keep the ships, which it eventually did. The United States abhorred the idea of their latest technological advances falling into the hands of a possible future combat opponent. While the contract allowed the United States Navy an option to acquire the ships if a deal was reached with a third nation, the Navy did not want the ships; with the rapid advances in dreadnought technology, such as all or nothing armour arrangements, even new ships like Rivadavia and Moreno were seen as outmoded.
On 18.2.1915, the Argentine government declared themselves satisfied with a deal to sell the ships for 2.5 million pounds, 1/4 million more than they paid for them, along with the provisions that the dreadnought started for China and due to be completed in Australasia in late 1917, would go to Argentina instead. On 1.3.1915, the US State Department and the Department of the Navy declared they would not block the sale, based on a sale to a friendly country and with Wilson's administration firmly opposed to intervention in any overseas war, but none the less, concerned about events in China and broadly sympathetic to the Chinese cause.
The Chinese government attempted to stall on the Eighteen demands as much as possible and for as long as possible and leaked the full contents of the demands to European powers on the 15th in the hope that due to a perceived threat to their own political and economic spheres of interest, they would help contain Japan. Immediately, diplomatic pressure came to bear on japan, but she was prepared for that. She was, however, not prepared for the commissioning of Rivadavia and Moreno as PNS Capricornia and North Australia on 5.3.1915. On the morning of the 6th, both were already at sea and on their way to Australasia.
Ōkuma Shigenobu had honestly thought to avoid war, drafting the initial list of Eighteen Demands, which were reviewed by the Emperor Tashio, and approved by the Diet. Ambassador Hioko Eki delivered the list to Yuan Shikai in a private audience on 20 January 1915, with warnings of dire consequences if China were to reject them. To his mind, this allowed Japan the concessions it wanted and required in China and allowed it to steer a middle ground between the Central Powers and the Entente, before finally picking a winning side at a latter stage.
The Eighteen were divided into four groups:
- Group 1 (seven demands) pertained to Japan's South Manchuria Railway Zone, extending the leasehold over the territory for 99 years, and expanding Japan's sphere of influence in southern Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, to include rights of settlement, appointment of financial and administrative officials to the government and priority for Japanese investments in those areas. Japan demanded access to Inner Mongolia for raw materials, as a manufacturing site, and as a strategic buffer against possible Russian encroachment in Korea
- Group 2 (two demands) gave Japan control of the Han-Ye-Ping mining and metallurgical complex in central China; it was deep in debt to Japan
- Group 3 (one demand) barred China from giving any further coastal or island concessions to foreign powers.
- Group 4 (seven demands) was the most aggressive. China was to hire Japanese advisors who could take effective control of China's finance and police. Japan would be empowered to build three major railways, and also Buddhist temples and schools. Japan would gain effective control of Formosa.
- Group 5 (one demand) involved Japan keeping Germany's Chinese territories that the Germans had ceded voluntarily to Japan
It was a development that thoroughly alarmed those in power in Australasia. All the navy's modern ships had been committed to the Mediterranean. What was left at home was inadequate for home defense. New ships that were laid down would not be available until 1917. Likewise, with army units, the best equipped were in the Middle East. When the terms of the Eighteen demands became word news on the 15.2.1915, Japan was widely denounced, aside from the Central Powers. By that stage, negotiations by Protectorate interests were well underway in Buenos Aires.
Three bills directing that the two Rivadavia Class battleships be sold were introduced into the Argentine National Congress in the summer of 1914, but all were defeated, although not by much. The United States, worried that its neutrality would not be respected and its technology would be released for study to a foreign competitor, put diplomatic pressure on Argentina to keep the ships, which it eventually did. The United States abhorred the idea of their latest technological advances falling into the hands of a possible future combat opponent. While the contract allowed the United States Navy an option to acquire the ships if a deal was reached with a third nation, the Navy did not want the ships; with the rapid advances in dreadnought technology, such as all or nothing armour arrangements, even new ships like Rivadavia and Moreno were seen as outmoded.
On 18.2.1915, the Argentine government declared themselves satisfied with a deal to sell the ships for 2.5 million pounds, 1/4 million more than they paid for them, along with the provisions that the dreadnought started for China and due to be completed in Australasia in late 1917, would go to Argentina instead. On 1.3.1915, the US State Department and the Department of the Navy declared they would not block the sale, based on a sale to a friendly country and with Wilson's administration firmly opposed to intervention in any overseas war, but none the less, concerned about events in China and broadly sympathetic to the Chinese cause.
The Chinese government attempted to stall on the Eighteen demands as much as possible and for as long as possible and leaked the full contents of the demands to European powers on the 15th in the hope that due to a perceived threat to their own political and economic spheres of interest, they would help contain Japan. Immediately, diplomatic pressure came to bear on japan, but she was prepared for that. She was, however, not prepared for the commissioning of Rivadavia and Moreno as PNS Capricornia and North Australia on 5.3.1915. On the morning of the 6th, both were already at sea and on their way to Australasia.
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Interesting, I can see the Japanese trying to get what they can from China, but the Protectorate contemplating a possible war in the Pacific while they are involved in Europe is different. I wonder if they will need to pull their ships back and how that will affect the operations at the straits?
I tend to think that while the ongoing situation would indeed put under more pressure to the commanding naval officers of the A.P. Navy force... I don't believe that nothing short of a Japanese DoW and/or an direct attack to the Protectorate would possibly do raise and justify, before their French and British allies the need to order the expeditionary force ships back.
5 March 1915 - A snapshot in 1915
Delayed issued 6 April 1915, - An extract from the Statesman's Year Book 1915
Protectorate of Australasia
Capital:Melbourne
Largest City: Melbourne
Official Language: None
National Language: English
Religion: 42.6% Catholic, 42.2% Protestant, 8% No religion, 4.5% Buddhist, 1.1% Taoist, 0.2% Islam, 0.2% other, 1.2% unanswered
Government: Federal Parliamentary Protectorate
Lord Protector: Caroline Plantagenet
Prime Minister: William Hughes
Legislature: Parliament, with an Upper House, called the House of Commons and the Upper House, the Senate
Independence from the United Kingdom: 16th April 1857 "Australasia Day"
Area (Not including protectorates): 8,057,915 square km, Percentage Water: 1.91%
Population: 11.398 million
GDP Per Capita: 1st
Total GDP: 10th
States:13
States by Data:
Aurelia: Capital Melbourne, Area: 221,614 square km (6th), Population: 2,815,000 (1st), House of Commons Seats: 27, Senate Seats: 7
New South Wales: Capital: Sydney, Area: 562,321 (5th), Population: 2,579,000 (2nd), House of Commons Seats: 24, Senate Seats: 7
Capricornia: Capital: Brisbane, Area: 1,582,256 square km (2nd), Population 1,207,000 (3rd), House of Commons Seats: 12, Senate Seats: 5
South Australia: Capital: Adelaide, Area: 1,245, 356 square km (4th), Population 877,000 (4th), House of Commons Seats: 8, Senate Seats: 5
New Zealand(incl Auckland, Chatman, Bounty and Campbell islands): Capital: Christchurch, Area: 153,642 square km (7th), Population 771,000 (5th), House of Commons Seats: 7, Senate Seats: 5
Aotearoa: Capital: Auckland, Area: 113,729 square km (9th), Population 606,000 (6th), House of Commons Seats: 6, Senate Seats: 5
Swan River
Incl Heard, MacDonald & Kerguelin Islands): Capital: Perth, Area: 1,425,614 square km (3rd), Population: 451,000 (7th), House of Commons: 4, Senate: 3
Tasmania(incl Macquarie Island): Capital: Hobart, Area: 90,886 square km (11th), Population 388,000 (8th), House of Commons Seats: 4, Senate Seats: 5
Fiji(including Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Phoenix, Niue, Tokelau, Cook, Madden and Caroline Islands and Tonga): Capital: Suva, Area: 21,357 square km (12th), Population 353,000 (9th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
New England: Capital: Armidale, Area: 140,023 square km (8th), Population: 346,000 (10th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Riverina: Capital: Albury, Area: 107,608 square km (10th), Population 271,000 (11th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
North Australia(including Christmas Island and Fly River): Capital: Palmerston, Area: 2,384,355 (1st), Population, 270,000(82,000 native) (12th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Combined Islands(including Pitcairn Island): Capital: Noumea, Area: 18,659 square km (13th), Population: 264,000(73,000 native) (13th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Armed Forces:
Army: 140,000 regular soldiers, 58,000 militia and cadets
Navy: 8 dreadnoughts (with two under construction), 4 pre dreadnoughts), 10 light cruisers, 12 protected cruisers, 7 scout cruisers, 30 destroyers, 3 seaplane carriers, 15 submarines
Protectorate of Australasia
Capital:Melbourne
Largest City: Melbourne
Official Language: None
National Language: English
Religion: 42.6% Catholic, 42.2% Protestant, 8% No religion, 4.5% Buddhist, 1.1% Taoist, 0.2% Islam, 0.2% other, 1.2% unanswered
Government: Federal Parliamentary Protectorate
Lord Protector: Caroline Plantagenet
Prime Minister: William Hughes
Legislature: Parliament, with an Upper House, called the House of Commons and the Upper House, the Senate
Independence from the United Kingdom: 16th April 1857 "Australasia Day"
Area (Not including protectorates): 8,057,915 square km, Percentage Water: 1.91%
Population: 11.398 million
GDP Per Capita: 1st
Total GDP: 10th
States:13
States by Data:
Aurelia: Capital Melbourne, Area: 221,614 square km (6th), Population: 2,815,000 (1st), House of Commons Seats: 27, Senate Seats: 7
New South Wales: Capital: Sydney, Area: 562,321 (5th), Population: 2,579,000 (2nd), House of Commons Seats: 24, Senate Seats: 7
Capricornia: Capital: Brisbane, Area: 1,582,256 square km (2nd), Population 1,207,000 (3rd), House of Commons Seats: 12, Senate Seats: 5
South Australia: Capital: Adelaide, Area: 1,245, 356 square km (4th), Population 877,000 (4th), House of Commons Seats: 8, Senate Seats: 5
New Zealand(incl Auckland, Chatman, Bounty and Campbell islands): Capital: Christchurch, Area: 153,642 square km (7th), Population 771,000 (5th), House of Commons Seats: 7, Senate Seats: 5
Aotearoa: Capital: Auckland, Area: 113,729 square km (9th), Population 606,000 (6th), House of Commons Seats: 6, Senate Seats: 5
Swan River
Incl Heard, MacDonald & Kerguelin Islands): Capital: Perth, Area: 1,425,614 square km (3rd), Population: 451,000 (7th), House of Commons: 4, Senate: 3Tasmania(incl Macquarie Island): Capital: Hobart, Area: 90,886 square km (11th), Population 388,000 (8th), House of Commons Seats: 4, Senate Seats: 5
Fiji(including Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Phoenix, Niue, Tokelau, Cook, Madden and Caroline Islands and Tonga): Capital: Suva, Area: 21,357 square km (12th), Population 353,000 (9th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
New England: Capital: Armidale, Area: 140,023 square km (8th), Population: 346,000 (10th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Riverina: Capital: Albury, Area: 107,608 square km (10th), Population 271,000 (11th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
North Australia(including Christmas Island and Fly River): Capital: Palmerston, Area: 2,384,355 (1st), Population, 270,000(82,000 native) (12th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Combined Islands(including Pitcairn Island): Capital: Noumea, Area: 18,659 square km (13th), Population: 264,000(73,000 native) (13th), House of Commons Seats: 3, Senate Seats: 3
Armed Forces:
Army: 140,000 regular soldiers, 58,000 militia and cadets
Navy: 8 dreadnoughts (with two under construction), 4 pre dreadnoughts), 10 light cruisers, 12 protected cruisers, 7 scout cruisers, 30 destroyers, 3 seaplane carriers, 15 submarines
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Well, the Russians have nothing in the Pacific and the Japanese view the Americans as unlikely to enter any potential war, with the Europeans as too distracted to divert resources in any meaningful way. Plus, they never received what they wanted in 1894 after being defeated in that war.
Yes, in 12 days they land troops in Alexandretta and have the bulk of the modern elements of their many in the Med. Of course, there is not war...yet.
Pangur
Donor
I was hoping to see something like this. Naturally I approve of Melbourne being the capital! Question whats the difference between Official Language and National Language?
An Official Language is one that it is mandated all citizens speak. Sorta like Franco's Spain, where Catalan, for instance, spoken in public, could get a visit from the men in black coats.
8 March 1915 - Four battleships go down
8 March 1915, PNS Eureka Land, off the Dardenelles
It was, by any measure, a poor day's work. Initially, things had gone well. They had already swept five lines of mines, consisting of 181 such things, even before the day had started. The fleet had advanced in four lines, line A and B engaging Rumeli Mejidieh and Hemidieh II forts on the European side, with their 2 14 inch, 2 11 inch and 5 9.4 inch guns. Lines C and D, with D being the French contingent, engaged Hemidieh I, with its 2 14 inch and 7 9.4 inch guns.
Shortly before 10.00 the fleet was approaching the entrance, and at 10.30 the Agamemnon began to lead the First Division into the Straits, with destroyers sweeping ahead and the Prince George and Lord Nelson on either beam and Queen Elizabeth behind. Within 45 minutes they came under fire from Rumeli Mejidieh. The ships returned it, but the fire continued to increase as they advanced to their firing position. In another half-hour they had reached it, and as they proceeded to take up their assigned positions and opened fire (about 11.30am) vessels could be seen moving in the Narrows off Chanak. There was a large merchant ship and a destroyer, but little notice was taken of them at the time, for as soon as the ships opened fire they made off hastily up the Straits and disappeared.
Attention was now absorbed with the guns, which, whilst less numerous than on previous days, were larger calibre and harder hitting. The Queen Elizabeth, which was the wing ship on the European side, took for her first target the formidable Hamidieh II on the opposite shore, but, owing probably to the great range, its German garrison seems to have given no reply. Next to her was the Agamemnon on Rumeli, the fort she had previously punished. Then came the Lord Nelson on Rumeli, while the Inflexible, on the starboard wing, took Hamidieh II.
Ten minutes after the flagship opened all the first line ships were in action, and seemed soon to be making good progress. From the forts there was little reply, but the barrage of fire steadily increased in volume and intensity. Hits, however, continued to be reported in spite of it, and about noon the Queen Elizabeth saw a huge explosion in Hamidieh II that saw the fire from there cease. At the same time others were putting shell after shell into Rumeli. The deliberate long-range fire continued, but with what precise effect it was difficult to see, for the breeze had freshened and was rolling the smoke back onto the ships.
As yet, however, none of the ships had been badly hit, but the Lord Nelson in Line B and Prince George, who was closes to shore, began to suffer. A new battery of four mobile 6" howitzers somewhere south near the destroyed Yildiz battery concentrated upon Lord Nelson and at 12.45 got her range. In the next twenty-five minutes she was hit eight times, four times on the armour without injury and four times above it, as well as being struck by two 9.2 inch shells, one of which disabled a secondary turret. So much structural damage was done that her captain had to turn her away and Inflexible moved to the head of line B. By 12.30, these guns had been destroyed, but they had done their damage.
The Prince George was also in serious trouble. Being the outermost ship European side, she had been receiving much attention. At 12.20, as the reserve ships, including two Australasian armoured cruisers, were passing through the line, she was hit on the bridge and had her wireless put out of action and her captain killed. Within the next ten minutes she was hit three times more times, twice by 14 inch projectiles. Twice again she was hit, but since the reserve ships were now closing the forts and required all the support that could be given, her executive officer kept her on station. Finally, she was signalled out of line, burning fiercely and low in the water.
This he could do with less scruple, for the British and French had ceased to advance on the Asiatic side. On receiving the signal, Admiral Guepratte had steamed up the Asiatic coast with the Suffren, Henri IV and Bouvet, while the Gaulois and Charlemagne conformed on the opposite side, so as to leave an open field of fire for the British line of Ocean, Irresistible and Albion and in the middle of the Straits. Even before they reached their firing position, they were received with a heavy fire from Hamidieh I. Admiral Guepratte led them in to 10,000 meters, concentrating on Hamidieh I. Eventually, return fire became sporadic.
By 2.00pm, the Ottoman fire had so far slackened and minesweepers were called clear a passage for closing the range. To cover the operation he also ordered Captain Hayes-Sadler's division, which had not yet been engaged and was quite fresh, to relieve the French line, which had naturally been suffering. At the range to which they had closed — about 9,000 yards — the fire of the forts was very effective. The ships had been hit again and again, and the Gaulois had just been so badly holed forward that Admiral Guepratte called to the light cruiser Dublin to come inside and stand by her.
However, up to this time things had gone as well as could be expected, and there was good promise of the new scheme of attack proving a success. But before the relief had been carried out a startling incident suddenly gave the fortunes of the day an ugly turn. It was nearly two o'clock when the Suffren was coming out at high speed on the Asiatic side, with Henri IV following. Admiral Guepratte's method of attack was for the ships was to take alternately the most exposed position, and when the recall was made the Henri IV was engaging Hamidieh I. Early in the action she had suffered badly. Three of her casemates had been put out of action, and her bridge and steering compartment were on fire, but the fire now seemed to be slackening, just as the minesweeper started clearing a path through the 6th field in the narrows.
The Gaulois, who had gamely declined the Dublin's offer of a tow, coming along as best she could with a list to starboard and down by the bows, and clearly unfit for further action. The French flagship had just passed through the British line, and the Henri IV was about to do so, when a huge column of black smoke shot up from under her. Whether it was a shell or a mine could not be seen. It was followed almost immediately by another, higher and more dense, which seemed to tell a magazine had gone. As the smoke cleared she was on her side and in 90 seconds she turned turtle and went down at 2.16pm.
By 2.50pm, the only fort that was firing briskly and accurately was the German-manned Hamidieh I, which still seemed unscathed. On the European side, the fire from the forts was becoming erratic and sporadic. However, one the Asiatic side, it is quite clear, however, that Hamidieh I was undamaged and the Irresistable had hit four times by 9.4 inch shells. Queen Elizabeth pulled out of line and started to engage the fort and could be seen that the Irresistible had taken a slight list, and as the enemy's fire did not slacken the Admiral started to signal the advanced line to open out the range, before a new development saw him change his mind.
Both Ottoman pre dreadnoughts, Turget Reis and Barbaros Hayreddin, had moved down from Nagara Point close inshore, avoiding the minefields and using a copious smoke as cover. The former quickly landed three 11 inch hits on the Royal Navy superdreadnought, although all were shrugged of by her armour and little real damage was done. However, in an eight minute engagement, the British flagship obtained seven hits on the Turget Reis, in exchange for two more herself. A burning wreck, she was to turn turtle an hour later, whilst her sister ship fled back into the smoke.
On reaching the line, the trawlers had got out their sweeps and were proceeding up stream when they exploded three mines, with two vessels lost. For a time it seemed that the battleships themselves were in the midst of mines. Prince George continued to struggle and started to settle by the head. At 4.01pm, a 14 inch shell from Chemelink tore into her 12 inch magazine and the old battleship exploded. She has to go down less than two minutes. This was to provoke a general recall at 4.06. Only 17 mines had been swept.
About 4.18 the Irresistible, which, in opening out the range, when she was struck by a mine laid along the path of withdrawl of the allied ships that had been previously noted and had provoked the laying of a new minefield by the minelayer Nusret. At first her Captain was uncertain whether or not it was a torpedo, but he soon realised that it was a mine, and that it was moored. The port engine-room flooded in its turn and the engines were completely disabled. Admiral Carden, who was then ignorant of the extent of the damage or of its cause, ordered the Ocean to stand by and tow her out of action if necessary. Captain Dent, seeing it was impossible to save his ship, decided to abandon her. Only ten volunteers were left on board to get out a wire to the Ocean.
It was not till 4.50 that Admiral Carden learned it was a mine that had caused the trouble. At 5.10 the Irresistible's crew were disembarked from the destroyer Wear, which was then ordered to close on the Ocean and instruct her to withdraw if the Irresistible could not be towed. The Ocean had by this time approached the mined ship, and Captain Dent went on board to confer with Captain Hayes-Sadler, but the Irresistible' s list had increased so much, and she lay so awkwardly bows on to the Asiatic shore, that it soon became obvious this was impossible and it was decided to remove the remainder of the crew and carry out the Admiral's orders.
At 5.50 the ship was abandoned 10,000 yards from Rumili, the intention being to make an attempt to save her after dark with destroyers and minesweepers. As soon as he saw that the Irresistible had been abandoned the Admiral hoisted the "General Recall " and began to return to Tenedos for the night. It was clear, in view of the unexpected danger and the losses sustained, that battleships could not be left inside the Straits after dark to cover the minesweepers, so that all idea of clearing the minefields that night had to be abandoned. Ocean began to withdraw. At about five minutes past six she was a mile from the Irresistible, when a heavy explosion on her starboard side announced that she also had struck a mine. In spite of a prompt flooding of the port wing compartments, the ship rapidly took a list of 15 degrees. So critical was the situation that Captain Hayes-Sadler signalled the destroyers, Colne, Jed and Chelmer, which were passing at the time, to close and the crew were sithdrawn and the ship scuttled. She went down at 1814, with Irresistable following at 1900.
All the ships lost were obsolecent and due to be scrapped, in any case, however, that was scant consolation to their crews, with some 417 French and 882 British dead. What's more, the two Admiral's in charge seemed badly shaken and four battleships on the bottom.
It was, by any measure, a poor day's work. Initially, things had gone well. They had already swept five lines of mines, consisting of 181 such things, even before the day had started. The fleet had advanced in four lines, line A and B engaging Rumeli Mejidieh and Hemidieh II forts on the European side, with their 2 14 inch, 2 11 inch and 5 9.4 inch guns. Lines C and D, with D being the French contingent, engaged Hemidieh I, with its 2 14 inch and 7 9.4 inch guns.
Shortly before 10.00 the fleet was approaching the entrance, and at 10.30 the Agamemnon began to lead the First Division into the Straits, with destroyers sweeping ahead and the Prince George and Lord Nelson on either beam and Queen Elizabeth behind. Within 45 minutes they came under fire from Rumeli Mejidieh. The ships returned it, but the fire continued to increase as they advanced to their firing position. In another half-hour they had reached it, and as they proceeded to take up their assigned positions and opened fire (about 11.30am) vessels could be seen moving in the Narrows off Chanak. There was a large merchant ship and a destroyer, but little notice was taken of them at the time, for as soon as the ships opened fire they made off hastily up the Straits and disappeared.
Attention was now absorbed with the guns, which, whilst less numerous than on previous days, were larger calibre and harder hitting. The Queen Elizabeth, which was the wing ship on the European side, took for her first target the formidable Hamidieh II on the opposite shore, but, owing probably to the great range, its German garrison seems to have given no reply. Next to her was the Agamemnon on Rumeli, the fort she had previously punished. Then came the Lord Nelson on Rumeli, while the Inflexible, on the starboard wing, took Hamidieh II.
Ten minutes after the flagship opened all the first line ships were in action, and seemed soon to be making good progress. From the forts there was little reply, but the barrage of fire steadily increased in volume and intensity. Hits, however, continued to be reported in spite of it, and about noon the Queen Elizabeth saw a huge explosion in Hamidieh II that saw the fire from there cease. At the same time others were putting shell after shell into Rumeli. The deliberate long-range fire continued, but with what precise effect it was difficult to see, for the breeze had freshened and was rolling the smoke back onto the ships.
As yet, however, none of the ships had been badly hit, but the Lord Nelson in Line B and Prince George, who was closes to shore, began to suffer. A new battery of four mobile 6" howitzers somewhere south near the destroyed Yildiz battery concentrated upon Lord Nelson and at 12.45 got her range. In the next twenty-five minutes she was hit eight times, four times on the armour without injury and four times above it, as well as being struck by two 9.2 inch shells, one of which disabled a secondary turret. So much structural damage was done that her captain had to turn her away and Inflexible moved to the head of line B. By 12.30, these guns had been destroyed, but they had done their damage.
The Prince George was also in serious trouble. Being the outermost ship European side, she had been receiving much attention. At 12.20, as the reserve ships, including two Australasian armoured cruisers, were passing through the line, she was hit on the bridge and had her wireless put out of action and her captain killed. Within the next ten minutes she was hit three times more times, twice by 14 inch projectiles. Twice again she was hit, but since the reserve ships were now closing the forts and required all the support that could be given, her executive officer kept her on station. Finally, she was signalled out of line, burning fiercely and low in the water.
This he could do with less scruple, for the British and French had ceased to advance on the Asiatic side. On receiving the signal, Admiral Guepratte had steamed up the Asiatic coast with the Suffren, Henri IV and Bouvet, while the Gaulois and Charlemagne conformed on the opposite side, so as to leave an open field of fire for the British line of Ocean, Irresistible and Albion and in the middle of the Straits. Even before they reached their firing position, they were received with a heavy fire from Hamidieh I. Admiral Guepratte led them in to 10,000 meters, concentrating on Hamidieh I. Eventually, return fire became sporadic.
By 2.00pm, the Ottoman fire had so far slackened and minesweepers were called clear a passage for closing the range. To cover the operation he also ordered Captain Hayes-Sadler's division, which had not yet been engaged and was quite fresh, to relieve the French line, which had naturally been suffering. At the range to which they had closed — about 9,000 yards — the fire of the forts was very effective. The ships had been hit again and again, and the Gaulois had just been so badly holed forward that Admiral Guepratte called to the light cruiser Dublin to come inside and stand by her.
However, up to this time things had gone as well as could be expected, and there was good promise of the new scheme of attack proving a success. But before the relief had been carried out a startling incident suddenly gave the fortunes of the day an ugly turn. It was nearly two o'clock when the Suffren was coming out at high speed on the Asiatic side, with Henri IV following. Admiral Guepratte's method of attack was for the ships was to take alternately the most exposed position, and when the recall was made the Henri IV was engaging Hamidieh I. Early in the action she had suffered badly. Three of her casemates had been put out of action, and her bridge and steering compartment were on fire, but the fire now seemed to be slackening, just as the minesweeper started clearing a path through the 6th field in the narrows.
The Gaulois, who had gamely declined the Dublin's offer of a tow, coming along as best she could with a list to starboard and down by the bows, and clearly unfit for further action. The French flagship had just passed through the British line, and the Henri IV was about to do so, when a huge column of black smoke shot up from under her. Whether it was a shell or a mine could not be seen. It was followed almost immediately by another, higher and more dense, which seemed to tell a magazine had gone. As the smoke cleared she was on her side and in 90 seconds she turned turtle and went down at 2.16pm.
By 2.50pm, the only fort that was firing briskly and accurately was the German-manned Hamidieh I, which still seemed unscathed. On the European side, the fire from the forts was becoming erratic and sporadic. However, one the Asiatic side, it is quite clear, however, that Hamidieh I was undamaged and the Irresistable had hit four times by 9.4 inch shells. Queen Elizabeth pulled out of line and started to engage the fort and could be seen that the Irresistible had taken a slight list, and as the enemy's fire did not slacken the Admiral started to signal the advanced line to open out the range, before a new development saw him change his mind.
Both Ottoman pre dreadnoughts, Turget Reis and Barbaros Hayreddin, had moved down from Nagara Point close inshore, avoiding the minefields and using a copious smoke as cover. The former quickly landed three 11 inch hits on the Royal Navy superdreadnought, although all were shrugged of by her armour and little real damage was done. However, in an eight minute engagement, the British flagship obtained seven hits on the Turget Reis, in exchange for two more herself. A burning wreck, she was to turn turtle an hour later, whilst her sister ship fled back into the smoke.
On reaching the line, the trawlers had got out their sweeps and were proceeding up stream when they exploded three mines, with two vessels lost. For a time it seemed that the battleships themselves were in the midst of mines. Prince George continued to struggle and started to settle by the head. At 4.01pm, a 14 inch shell from Chemelink tore into her 12 inch magazine and the old battleship exploded. She has to go down less than two minutes. This was to provoke a general recall at 4.06. Only 17 mines had been swept.
About 4.18 the Irresistible, which, in opening out the range, when she was struck by a mine laid along the path of withdrawl of the allied ships that had been previously noted and had provoked the laying of a new minefield by the minelayer Nusret. At first her Captain was uncertain whether or not it was a torpedo, but he soon realised that it was a mine, and that it was moored. The port engine-room flooded in its turn and the engines were completely disabled. Admiral Carden, who was then ignorant of the extent of the damage or of its cause, ordered the Ocean to stand by and tow her out of action if necessary. Captain Dent, seeing it was impossible to save his ship, decided to abandon her. Only ten volunteers were left on board to get out a wire to the Ocean.
It was not till 4.50 that Admiral Carden learned it was a mine that had caused the trouble. At 5.10 the Irresistible's crew were disembarked from the destroyer Wear, which was then ordered to close on the Ocean and instruct her to withdraw if the Irresistible could not be towed. The Ocean had by this time approached the mined ship, and Captain Dent went on board to confer with Captain Hayes-Sadler, but the Irresistible' s list had increased so much, and she lay so awkwardly bows on to the Asiatic shore, that it soon became obvious this was impossible and it was decided to remove the remainder of the crew and carry out the Admiral's orders.
At 5.50 the ship was abandoned 10,000 yards from Rumili, the intention being to make an attempt to save her after dark with destroyers and minesweepers. As soon as he saw that the Irresistible had been abandoned the Admiral hoisted the "General Recall " and began to return to Tenedos for the night. It was clear, in view of the unexpected danger and the losses sustained, that battleships could not be left inside the Straits after dark to cover the minesweepers, so that all idea of clearing the minefields that night had to be abandoned. Ocean began to withdraw. At about five minutes past six she was a mile from the Irresistible, when a heavy explosion on her starboard side announced that she also had struck a mine. In spite of a prompt flooding of the port wing compartments, the ship rapidly took a list of 15 degrees. So critical was the situation that Captain Hayes-Sadler signalled the destroyers, Colne, Jed and Chelmer, which were passing at the time, to close and the crew were sithdrawn and the ship scuttled. She went down at 1814, with Irresistable following at 1900.
All the ships lost were obsolecent and due to be scrapped, in any case, however, that was scant consolation to their crews, with some 417 French and 882 British dead. What's more, the two Admiral's in charge seemed badly shaken and four battleships on the bottom.
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Depends whether you consider those of mixed blood. Full Maori number around 200,000, those of part blood maybe 100,000, so close to 50/50.
10 March 1915, - Goodbye Enver
10 March 1915, Sarikamis, Russian Empire
The man's emaciated form struggled to draw breath. He knew full well that he had reached the terminal stage of typhus, as he lay in an isolation ward with what pathetic few remained of his troops. Ismail Enver Pasha had assumed command of the Ottoman forces arrayed against the Russians in the Caucasus front. He had wanted to encircle the Russians, force them out of Ottoman territory, and take back Kars and Batumi that had been stolen in 1878, ceded after the war.
He had thought himself a great military leader, while the German military adviser, Liman von Sanders, had been aghast at the recklessness of his plan and counseled against it. He had ordered a complex attack on the Russians, placed himself in personal control of the Third Army, with it's 118,000 men.
The Russians had been unnerved by the numbers they were facing and Count llarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov ordered a withdrawal, however, Lt-General Yudenich did not comply. This resulted in the disastrous Battle of Sarikimash. He forces, after initially advancing, were utterly defeated from 22.12.1914 to 17.1.1915. The Third Army, consisting of three Corps and a Cavalry Division, with 118,174 men on 22.12.1914, was reduced to 8,900 men by 18.1.1915, killed by not only the Russians, but frostbite due to the inadequate clothing and supply train of his army, a typhus outbreak and a sluggish withdrawal that saw units encircled. It was a disaster.
His own fate was no better. Having become separated from his troops and with a leg wound from shrapnel, he had blamed his defeat on Armenian traitors It was not the wisest course when, of the three men, only an Armenian named Hovannes was fit enough to help the wounded. He promptly abandoned him, leading to his capture by the Russians on the 18th. Now he was slowly dying from typhus, his brother in law already dead. Later that night, Enver Pasha passed, his body burned that night in a mass grave.
His handling of the campaign had been a disaster, leading to a catastrophic defeat. He had mobilized the troops in the middle of that harvest season, with no plan, no food, no protective clothing and no logistical train for his army. he had then attacked the Russians in the Caucasus, being crushed by a much smaller force. Then the Russians counter-attacked and his army had fallen apart like a coiled spring. Ten of thousands of soldiers dead and all the crops in Eastern Anatolia had failed.
The man's emaciated form struggled to draw breath. He knew full well that he had reached the terminal stage of typhus, as he lay in an isolation ward with what pathetic few remained of his troops. Ismail Enver Pasha had assumed command of the Ottoman forces arrayed against the Russians in the Caucasus front. He had wanted to encircle the Russians, force them out of Ottoman territory, and take back Kars and Batumi that had been stolen in 1878, ceded after the war.
He had thought himself a great military leader, while the German military adviser, Liman von Sanders, had been aghast at the recklessness of his plan and counseled against it. He had ordered a complex attack on the Russians, placed himself in personal control of the Third Army, with it's 118,000 men.
The Russians had been unnerved by the numbers they were facing and Count llarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov ordered a withdrawal, however, Lt-General Yudenich did not comply. This resulted in the disastrous Battle of Sarikimash. He forces, after initially advancing, were utterly defeated from 22.12.1914 to 17.1.1915. The Third Army, consisting of three Corps and a Cavalry Division, with 118,174 men on 22.12.1914, was reduced to 8,900 men by 18.1.1915, killed by not only the Russians, but frostbite due to the inadequate clothing and supply train of his army, a typhus outbreak and a sluggish withdrawal that saw units encircled. It was a disaster.
His own fate was no better. Having become separated from his troops and with a leg wound from shrapnel, he had blamed his defeat on Armenian traitors It was not the wisest course when, of the three men, only an Armenian named Hovannes was fit enough to help the wounded. He promptly abandoned him, leading to his capture by the Russians on the 18th. Now he was slowly dying from typhus, his brother in law already dead. Later that night, Enver Pasha passed, his body burned that night in a mass grave.
His handling of the campaign had been a disaster, leading to a catastrophic defeat. He had mobilized the troops in the middle of that harvest season, with no plan, no food, no protective clothing and no logistical train for his army. he had then attacked the Russians in the Caucasus, being crushed by a much smaller force. Then the Russians counter-attacked and his army had fallen apart like a coiled spring. Ten of thousands of soldiers dead and all the crops in Eastern Anatolia had failed.
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15 March 1915 - One last try
15 March 1915, HMS Queen Elizabeth, Dardanelles
It hung out there sharply as soon as Admiral Sackville Carden said it. "I am just not sure we can force these defences with ships alone, chaps. I think we may need to wait for further troops landings."
Roger Keyes was aghast. Yes, four battleships had been lost and the French flagship Gaulios was beached. The War Council, at its 12th March meeting, told Carden to continue operations if he saw fit to do so. In the bad-weather days since the 8th, Carden had brooded on what had happened, becoming more negative as to their chances.
Keyes spoke up. "Sir, it is a dreadful thing that so many men have lost their lives and I would never wish to do anything to diminish their bravery and sacrifice, however, we need not mourn for the ships themselves. The battleships lost were destined for the scrap heap, even Churchill points that out. Late in the day, until those events happened, we were winning. There seemed to be little sign left of life. I thought they were beaten by 1500 by 1700 and at midnight, I knew with still greater certainty that he was absolutely beaten. It only remained for us to organize a proper sweeping force ... to reap the fruits of our efforts. I felt that the guns of the forts and batteries and the concealed howitzers and mobile field guns were no longer a serious menace.
Reinforcements in the form of three battleships and sixty-two minesweepers, which can be manned by members of the lost ships are only a day away. We cannot advance further on land, as the terrain favours the defenders so much. If we commit ground troops, how many more men will we lose beyond the 1,200 sailor we have already lost? Do we not honor their sacrifice by continuing?"
Sackville Carden looked drawn and wan. After almost four hours discussion, it was decided to try again on the 18th, which had good weather forecast. It was to be the day after the planned Australasian landings at Alexandretta. The revised order of battle would be:
Line A: Queen Elizabeth, Agamemnon, Lord Nelson, Inflexible
French : Charlemagne, Bouvet, Suffren, St Louis
Line B: Vengeance, Albion, Majestic, Cornwallis
Support Line: Canopus, Caesar, Glory, Goliath
Reserve and Seaplane Carriers: Ark Royal, Powerful, Terrible, Eureka Land, Peter Lalor (all PNS except Ark Royal)
It hung out there sharply as soon as Admiral Sackville Carden said it. "I am just not sure we can force these defences with ships alone, chaps. I think we may need to wait for further troops landings."
Roger Keyes was aghast. Yes, four battleships had been lost and the French flagship Gaulios was beached. The War Council, at its 12th March meeting, told Carden to continue operations if he saw fit to do so. In the bad-weather days since the 8th, Carden had brooded on what had happened, becoming more negative as to their chances.
Keyes spoke up. "Sir, it is a dreadful thing that so many men have lost their lives and I would never wish to do anything to diminish their bravery and sacrifice, however, we need not mourn for the ships themselves. The battleships lost were destined for the scrap heap, even Churchill points that out. Late in the day, until those events happened, we were winning. There seemed to be little sign left of life. I thought they were beaten by 1500 by 1700 and at midnight, I knew with still greater certainty that he was absolutely beaten. It only remained for us to organize a proper sweeping force ... to reap the fruits of our efforts. I felt that the guns of the forts and batteries and the concealed howitzers and mobile field guns were no longer a serious menace.
Reinforcements in the form of three battleships and sixty-two minesweepers, which can be manned by members of the lost ships are only a day away. We cannot advance further on land, as the terrain favours the defenders so much. If we commit ground troops, how many more men will we lose beyond the 1,200 sailor we have already lost? Do we not honor their sacrifice by continuing?"
Sackville Carden looked drawn and wan. After almost four hours discussion, it was decided to try again on the 18th, which had good weather forecast. It was to be the day after the planned Australasian landings at Alexandretta. The revised order of battle would be:
Line A: Queen Elizabeth, Agamemnon, Lord Nelson, Inflexible
French : Charlemagne, Bouvet, Suffren, St Louis
Line B: Vengeance, Albion, Majestic, Cornwallis
Support Line: Canopus, Caesar, Glory, Goliath
Reserve and Seaplane Carriers: Ark Royal, Powerful, Terrible, Eureka Land, Peter Lalor (all PNS except Ark Royal)
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