Chapter 32 – Charles

“Enemy forces on the Gallipoli peninsula and in the Dardanelles area were now, according to the Egyptian War Office, estimated at 73,000 men.” - ANZAC Intelligence war diary April 12 and appendix III - AWM4/1/27/2 – Initialled CHVS. A similar figure and estimates of Turkish reinforcements in nearer parts of Turkey are provided as at 9 April 1915 by Charles Bean in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol I, p. 242.

“This wet and windy morning…” Hugh Dolan records in 36 Days an account from Staff Sergeant John McLennan on the Minnewaska, on the morning of Tuesday 13 April 1914: [McLennan] “…observed the 1 Battalion troops as they clambered into boats in the driving rain. By now the men had become heartily sick of the disembarkation ritual and most were in an evil temper, sharpened by the certain knowledge that there would be a repeat performance during the night”, p.232.

“Wing Commander Samson’s No.3 Air Squadron…” Hugh Dolan includes many details of the aerial reconnaissance carried out by Wing Commander Samson’s No.3 Air Squadron in 36 Days and Gallipoli Air War. On 4 April 1914: “…his squadron conducted two more reconnaissance flights, adding substance to reporting on enemy defensive measures. Samson’s afternoon mission was the squadron’s twenty-first operational flight since its arrival”, 36 Days , p.181.

“SECRET. INSTRUCTIONS FOR G.O.C.  A. & N.Z. ARMY CORPS… W. P. Braithwaite, Major-General, C.G.S, Med. Ex. Force.” - The ANZAC landing orders dated 13 April 1915, including sketch map showing beaches S, V, W, X, Y and Z are quoted from the ANZAC Headquarters War Diary for April. This can be viewed in the Australian War Memorial record AWM4/1/25/2, Part 5, pp 11-14, 19).  (accessible via www.awm.gov.au , at the time of writing the direct link for this document is http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/1/25/1PART5/ )

The ANZAC 1st Division war diary (AWM4 1/42/3 Part 1) records that on 14 April 1915 “HMS QUEEN steamed south east along coast from G. of XEROS about 10 knots at distance of about 1 1/2

miles too far to see very clearly. Coast seems suitable for landing.”

Hugh Dolan records in 36 Days that “Staff officers climbed the twin viewing tops on Queen , using powerful naval binoculars to gain a clearer definition of the coast. Even so, the dominant first ridges restricted their view to the beach and the coastal strip”, p. 241.

Hugh Dolan quotes Charles Bean’s diary entry in 36 Days : “They will—those that have them—go in blue uniforms, so khaki clad officers may not be noticed aboard the ship—which would give the Turks an idea of what they were doing.”, p. 237 [reference AWM 38 3DRL 606/3/1 and 4/1. Bean March and April Diaries , Entry for April]

“Picket boat” Hugh Dolan records in Gallipoli Air War , p. 79: “Villiers-Stuart jumped from a picket boat and into the sea surging onto the beach.”  A detailed account of Major Charles Villiers-Stuart’s flight reconnaissance mission with pilot Flight Lieutenant Herb Collet is provided on pp. 79-84.

Hugh Dolan records in 36 Days : Officers departed Mudros on Battleship Queen on 13 Apr (p. 237) to inspect Z Beach on morning of 14 April (p241). Charles Villiers-Stuart was dropped at Tenedos by Queen (p244) on the way back on 14 April - flight take off 2:20pm (p246). Further details of this flight and its impact on planning for the ANZAC landing in 36 Days , pp. 244-248.

Charles Bean records Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol I, p. 242: “The new trenches and gun positions on the Peninsula were noted daily by British airmen, and Major Villiers-Stuart, of General Birdwood’s Staff, had been taken over Gaba Tepe in an aeroplane on April 14th. The observations were circulated, so that they could be entered on all maps.”