Dennis, Walter, Ship's Log, 27-28 April 1915

Ship's log, Walter Dennis dated April 27-28, 1915.
Description: 
HMS Vengeance log

Tabs

Case Study: 
British Forces in the Middle East
Creator: 
Dennis, Walter
Source: 
Ship's Log
Date: 
27-28 April 1915
Place: Seddul Bahr; Dardanelles
Collection/Fonds: 
Contributer: 
McMaster University Libraries
Rights: 
Copyright, public domain: McMaster University owns the rights to the archival copy of the digital image in TIFF format.

Identifier: 
00001363-4
Language: 
eng
Type: 
image
Format: 
jpg
Transcript: 

April 27th – On our arrival at Seddul Bahr the remainder of our Picket Boats crew returned on board. It was then learnt that during the landing operations last Sunday morning the boats of the Fleet had been fiercely attacked having several casualties. In our boat, out of a crew of 1 officer & 6 men the casualties were 1 officer & 1 Leading Seaman killed. 2 AB & 1 Stoker wounded leaving only 1 AB & 1 Stoker T.O. in the boat.
In the Dardanelles. At 3 o/c am we again weighed & proceeded and at 5 o/c opened fire with 6” & 12 pdr shrapnel on the enemy’s troops. At 7.10 we were struck by a 5’9” shell fired from the Asiatic Shore, the shell carried away a stay of the mainmast pierced the After Shelter Deck and entered the Gunnery office. It was an Armour Peircing shell, but failed to explode, and was picked up by one of the Stokers fire brigade. Shortly before 8 o/c am defects occurred in the circulating machinery & at 8.30 the “Albion” was ordered to relieve “Vengeance”, we accordingly withdrew and anchored 1,300 yards off Seddul Bahr. For the remainder of the day we operated with “Swiftsure” “Cornwallis” & “Euryalus”, European, & the French “Henri IV” & Russian “Askold” Asiatic side. By dusk the repairs to our circulating machinery were completed and orders received to move to our original position by sunrise to-morrow.
April 28th – In the Dardanelles. At 3 o/c am we weighed and proceeded to our original position. Firing recommenced at 5 o/c am with 6” & 12 pdr shrapnel & lyddite, mainly on the town of Achi Baba which place, apparently, is the objective of the Allied troops who could be plainly seen advancing in that direction. Shortly before sunset a battery of artillery was brought into action against the ships in the Dardanelles. Immediately a hot & very rapid fire was opened by the ships