The Fight for Constantinople: A Story of the Gallipoli Peninsula

he R

d for "Action Stations". "Look-there's the French squadron piling

ts delivered a tremendous fire at gradually decreasing ranges, while the Turks gradually diminished the rapidity of their re

battleships directed their fire, and at half-past one all th

nocks, for the range averaged only two thousand yards. Several gaping holes appeared in the unarmoured portions of the Hammerer's hul

two-thirds of her length, suffered little loss; and when at half-past two the Vengeance, Irresistible, Albi

superintend the clearing away of some of the remains of the after-br

torpedo, or mine, he knew not at the time, but it was certain that she was done for. An atte

consorts attempted to intervene and screen her from the harassing storm of shell, for her devoted crew, working hard in

ssistance British destroyers dashed up, and, manoeuvring with the utmost skill an

few had to take to the water, and were promptly hauled out by ready helpers. The rescuers

after the sinking of the Irresistible, the Ocean, a slightly larger

which caused her principal magazine to explode, sank with appalling suddenness, taking with her practically the whole of the crew. The Ga

d the British and French battleships-a danger agai

s of destruction were launched from the southern outlet of the Sea of Marmora, while to make the chances of their fouling a ship doubly certain they were released in pairs, each couple being connec

be taken to cope with this latest scheme of defence on the part of

emporary suspension of operations, and the officers and men of the fleet had to face the dismal prospect of "st

first opportunity of doing so since the Hammerer went int

d?" he mentally enquir

shore, and about six miles SW. by S. of Kum Kale. The Hammerer and the Tremendous were asked for volunteers to attempt the rescue of the crew. It was expressly stated that, owing

that volunteers were asked was in itself significant. Not only was there grave risk of being fired upon by the Turkish troops, who doubtles

service, Mr. Box?" the Capta

er had drawn out of range, one of the first of many tasks of the carpenter's crew was to

"You know what is required and the cond

ery one of the midshipmen signified thei

of his question. "Your answer is exactly what I expected. Mr. Bourne will take charge of th

sprite. In fact the Sub had been specially reported to the Admiralty for the smart way in which on several occasions he had taken away a boat to board merchant ships during the light cruiser's patrol work in the North Sea. In these days of steam pro

ung gentleman had received a slight wound in the hand from a flying fragment of shell. Maynebrace he dismissed from his mind; the youngster was too impetu

longing to Farnworth's boat simply clamoured to be taken. This wa

his way to the chart-room and obtained a copy of the largest-scale chart of Yenikeui and neighbouring coast. Rolling up the plan he placed it in a cylind

te beam in proportion to her length of twenty-seven feet, she was fairly swift under oars or sail

h as had to be expected in Yenikeui Bay, where it would be almost a matter o

r," reported Mid

ate. It was a case of "two heads being better than one", for in the ex

able, signal flags and rockets, flashing lam

speedily forthcoming, and the Sub proceeded

scope and signal-b

reported th

ight lashings, termed "beckets", under the thwarts. Spa

ted Lieutenant Bourne's appearance. Already that

e expedition. "When the trawler is sighted we'll confer as to the best means of approaching her. Judging by the d

ed by a partly submerged reef that extended ob

arry on!" con

e good wishes of the rest of the officers Bourne took his plac

er a

d as the boat became waterborne the bowman and th

ve

ped as the rowers bent to their task, and th

avoid undue chances of discovery by the Turkish batteries the boats were unable to be towed, but it was understood that on the retu

ll his work cut out to keep in touch with the gig, for the night was thick with rain. That in a sense was fortunate, for it beat down the crested waves considerably. Th

ignals from the ship, since it might be possible that orders for recall might be ma

h the darkness, a few points on the whaler's starboard bow. Not a light appeared on shore, for which the officers were devoutly tha

or the reef rose from a submerged bank having only half that depth. As long as the soundings gave not l

ed Farnworth, as the whaler followed t

espect for a lee shore. He feared the perils of the coast

ur oars!"

ly calm water, only a long oily roll setting in over the reef. The four small craft

cover them should they be fired upon. If anything befall either, and the crew cannot be rescued without enda

sked the lieutenan

there is a beach extending almost as far as Bender Dagh Point. We would then stand a chance of picking

e officers sig

ter. Nor'west by west a quarter west ought to

en boats' lengths apart, while at a good cable's length a

he gunwales. Two men were detailed to keep baling, but in spite of their efforts the Hammerer's whaler was in danger of being swamped. To keep on the course was to cour

in' rifles when we get back," muttered the "st

esent danger; the possibility of not returning to the ship never occurred to him. He was an

bow-man, raising his voice to enable the

his eyes, peered through the mirk.

he reported, "but it may be a rock. Luf

at the same time ordering the men t

way,

e oarsmen, "keeping their eyes in the boat", saw nothing of the danger. The midshipman gripped the tiller-lines tightly and set his teeth. Dick realized the peril, but with great

ers would be totally insufficient to enable her to mount the towering barrier. The bowman, missing the resistance to his blade, collapse

n her, the whaler hung irresolute on the crest of the w

ick succession. Then in the ensuing "smooth"

ad extricated himself from his undignified po

e list to port, with the waves breaking right over her. Her mast and funnel h

, for there was no sign of her? Had she, Dick wondered, been over