[From The London Times, March 20, 1915.]
_After ten days of mine-sweeping inside the Dardanelles the British and
French fleets made a general attack on the fortresses at the Narrows on
Thursday. After about three hours' bombardment all the forts ceased
firing._
_Three battleships were lost in these operations by striking mines--the
French Bouvet, and the Irresistible and the Ocean. The British crews
were practically all saved, but nearly the whole of the men on the
Bouvet perished._
_The Secretary of the Admiralty issued the following statement last
night:_
Mine-sweeping having been in progress during the last ten days inside
the strait, a general attack was delivered by the British and French
fleets yesterday morning upon the fortresses at the Narrows of the
Dardanelles.
At 10:45 A.M. Queen Elizabeth, Inflexible, Agamemnon, and Lord Nelson
bombarded Forts J, L, T, U, and V; while Triumph and Prince George fired
at Batteries F, E, and H. A heavy fire was opened on the ships from
howitzers and field guns.
At 12:22 the French squadron, consisting of the Suffren, Gaulois,
Charlemagne, and Bouvet, advanced up the Dardanelles to engage the forts
at closer range. Forts J, U, F, and E replied strongly. Their fire was
silenced by the ten battleships inside the strait, all the ships being
hit several times during this part of the action.
By 1:25 P.M. all forts had ceased firing.
Vengeance, Irresistible, Albion, Ocean, Swiftsure, and Majestic then
advanced to relieve the six old battleships inside the strait.
As the French squadron, which had engaged the forts in the most
brilliant fashion was passing out, Bouvet was blown up by a drifting
mine and sank in thirty-six fathoms north Erenkeui Village in less than
three minutes.
At 2:36 P.M., the relief battleships renewed the attack on the forts,
which again opened fire. The attack on the forts was maintained while
the operations of the mine-sweepers continued. At 4:09 Irresistible
quitted the line, listing heavily; and at 5:50 she sank, having probably
struck a drifting mine. At 6:05, Ocean, also having struck a mine, both
vessels sank in deep water, practically the whole of the crews having
been removed safely under a hot fire.
[Illustration: QUEEN MARY
Wife of George V., King of Great Britain and Ireland.
_(Photo from Underwood & Underwood.)_]
[Illustration: THE RIGHT HON. DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
The radical Chancellor of the British Exchequer, upon whom has devolved
the task of financing the great war.
_(Photo by A. & R. Annan & Sons.)_]
The Gaulois was damaged by gun fire.
Inflexible had her forward control position hit by a heavy shell, and
requires repair.
The bombardment of the forts and the mine-sweeping operations terminated
when darkness fell. The damage to the forts effected by the prolonged
direct fire of the very powerful forces employed cannot yet be
estimated, and a further report will follow.
The losses of ships were caused by mines drifting with the current which
were encountered in areas hitherto swept clear, and this danger will
require special treatment.
The British casualties in personnel are not heavy, considering the scale
of the operations; but practically the whole of the crew of the Bouvet
were lost with the ship, an internal explosion having apparently
supervened on the explosion of the mine.
The Queen and Implacable, which were dispatched from England to replace
ships' casualties in anticipation of this operation, are due to arrive
immediately, thus bringing the British fleet up to its original
strength.
The operations are continuing, ample naval and military forces being
available on the spot.
On the 16th inst., Vice Admiral Carden, who has been incapacitated by
illness, was succeeded in the chief command by Rear Admiral John Michael
de Robeck, with acting rank of Vice Admiral.