Chapter 65 – Ellis

Many of the details included in this chapter are taken from Uncensored Dardanelles , by Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett. The referenced events of late May 1915 are covered on pages 104-118. Some of the key details included from this source include:

p. 104 – Rumours of the arrival German submarines were circulating from 16 May 1915.

pp. 105-107 – Ashmead-Bartlett describes his memorandum “on the whole situation” written on 19 May and handed to censor Maxwell on 20 May 1915, “in order to discover what attitude the staff would take up.” The letter was rejected and Hamilton “seemed far from friendly”. The full text of the memorandum is included as Appendix I (p. 269-277), with the conclusion that “I think we are living in a fool’s paradise.”

p. 108 – On 22 May 1915, Ashmead-Bartlett describes the Swiftsure as his fourth floating home of the campaign.

pp. 110-111 – The battleship Triumph was sunk by a German submarine torpedo on 25 May. Ashmead-Bartlett watched from the decks of her sister-ship Swiftsure , where the naval men stood to attention as she went under, then Admiral Nicholson declared “Gentlemen, the Triumph has gone.Ashmead-Bartlett then transferred with Admiral Nicholson to the battleship Majestic .

p. 113 – Ashmead-Bartlet participated in a “farewell dinner” for the Majestic in the officer’s ward room on the evening of 26 May 1915, in order to finish the ship’s supply of champagne. “The port was also saved in considerable quantities from a watery grave.” After midnight he returned to his cabin which was below the waterline on the seaward side and decided to sleep on deck due to the danger.

pp. 113-117 – The sinking of the Majestic and Ashmead’Bartlett’s subsequent rescue are described. Many details are included.

p. 118 – Ashmead-Bartlett sailed for Malta on 28 May 1915, with permission of the Navy, but not General Headquarters. Ellis had been blocked from sending cables from Malta and could  not source the kit he was seeking, and decided to visit London.

Archie Barwick, a private in the 1st Battalion, recorded in his WWI diary, In Great Spirits , the “great red hull” of the Triumph as she turned over (p. 41).