An Account of the Dardenelles raid 18th March 1915

A Letter written by Commodore Roger Keyes his wife dated 21st March 1915 detailing some of the events of the raid on the Dardenelles' forts on the 18th March 1915.

Roger Keyes in 1918

So much has happened since I last wrote it is hard to know where to begin... I don’t know how much

the Admiralty will tell, but we had cruel luck at a moment when we had the forts beat and should have been in a position to commence sweeping the mine field beneath the Narrows. The Turks are sure to claim that they sank 3 or 4 if not more ships, and the Admiralty must admit the loss of 3 so there can be no harm in writing about it. The light for the bombardment at the forts at the Narrows is bad until about 10:30 a.m. - it is an awful pity they can’t start much earlier, say daylight, as 4 hours are wasted, and we do want a long day so badly. The night of the 17th-18th we had mine sweepers, British and French, and Picket boats in the area our ships were to go into, and they reported in the early morning that all was clear so we went in the Agamemnon, Lord Nelson, Queen Elizabeth and inflexible, proceeded by s pair of destroyers sweeping. When we arrived about 16,000 yards from the forts at the Narrows we formed a line abreast in order of Q.E., Agamemnon, Lord N., and Inflexible.

The French squadron took up position about 2000 yards astern of us ready to close the forts when required - the idea being that we would bombard the forts at the Narrows at long range and when they were well hammered the older ships would close range under cover of our fire.

On each flank which we (ie. the 4 modern ships) were bombarding an old British battleship was stationed to fire on the concealed howitzer and other batteries on the hills overlooking the straits - Prince George our side (Gallipoli) and Triumph on the Asiatic shore.

These guns cannot be touched - or the majority of them, and the are very annoying. The only thing is, as their fire is indirect, if one moves about one can avoid a good deal - but of course this rather interferes with accurate shooting so we stay still until it gets too hot.

It is very obvious that all the defences are run by Germans. The system of fire is wonderfully good and they fire salvoes. Our friends dropped salvoes if 3 all around us, they came down from heaven very steep and do a good deal of damage. The field guns which are concealed about direct all their ttention to killing people with shrapnel in our control positions - and our experts had many close shaves - one shell hit the wireless and some digging and soars and sent a shower if dirt and stuff through the suit in the conning tower, a good deal got in my eyes which brother-in-law removed. It is a funny small world - who would have imagined Boysie and I would find ourselves in the Conning tower of the Queen Elizabeth during the attack on the Dardanelles. The Inflexible on the other shore had the same attentions but suffered more severely, her bridge caught on fire and blazed. Then a shell hit the fire control top killing or wounding everyone in it - but the did not know this in the Conning tower for a long time, and when they did know they couldn’t get up to help owing to the raging fire at the foot of the mast so they got almost cooked poor fellows. Vermeer was very badly wounded and another lieutenant would have lost a leg and an arm had he lived. The Inflexible had to go out for a bit go get the ship before the wind in order to take the smoke and flames away from the mast. The Dr. said he could have saved them both but while he was dressing them a shell hit the armour outside the dressing station and this made Verner wince and started hemorrhage again. Soon after that she struck a mine and the tremendous explosion shook the ship fore and aft, caused then such shock that in both cases the haemorrhages started again. They both died that evening. Many were killed by the mine explosion. She had 3 officers and 29 men killed ? Wounded. We were very lucky and had no casualties. The ship is so well armoured and the orders in all ships are very strict as to taking cover - our worst hole was s big one on the deck which wrecked the gun room. I have got in rather too fast.

At about 12(noon), the gifts bring silent, the French were ordered to close in to engage at close range. They were gallantly led by Guépratte. At about 2:39 they were ordered to withdraw to allow their reliefs to come in - the French squadron consisted of Suffrrn, Gaulois, Charlemagne and Bouvet. They had done very well but they, I mean the ships, not personnel, can’t stand a knocking about and they are rather a source of anxiety. The Prince George and Triumpg, had closed to support, then withdrew with the Frenchmen - when doing d, and practically passing through our kind, the Bouvet is seen to be on fire aft - then a tremendous explosion occurred and still going fast turned turtle and foundered. It would be impossible to imagine anything happen more quickly. It was a tragedy, all our ships near sent boats. Luckily every ship had a picket boat near her seeking for floating mines, and they and our destroyer, Wear, which is my charger, dashed off to try and save life, but everyone being at their action stations they had no time to come up and only a few officers and men were saved, 5 officers and 30 men out of about 730. (We have since heard that another 31 men were out of the ship) It was a tragedy.

In the meantime our division of ships and supporting ships moved up as if nothing had happened. The forts which had been temporarily silenced then opened again and a brisk action started once more - by 4 pm they were practically silenced. The mine sweepers has been ordered in but they did not do well and I disparities of ever getting them to face it properly. We couldn’t spare volunteers in any numbers as all ships were engaged. I am very sleepy as my writing shows - haven’t had much sleep lately it is 12:30. All my love. Are we down hearted? No but I think I was one of the very few who were not that evening - I do believe I am best at these times! And I am spoiling to have at it again. Only this time it must be an onslaught on the minefield - the forts we can always dominate - but the mine field is the devil and am organising if. I hate bit leading as I am asking people to do a lot and they will. I am sending 115 trawler men and skippers home - and manning the trawlers with naval officers and men volunteers- a military force in fact. I am having all the destroyers fitted with sweeps and organising a “picket boat” flotilla. Eva darling it’s a big thing. This is all anticipation. I will return to my story. I must go to bed...