Dardanelles Naval Campaign

Churchill proposes forcing the Dardanelles with naval power to threaten Constantinople and assist Russia.

Suggests an attack on the Dardanelles at a War Council meeting

At Churchills request, the commander of the Royal Navys Mediterranean Squadron, Vice Admiral S.H. Carden proposed a plan for forcing the Dardanelles using battleships, submarines and minesweepers

Carden submits a staged plan for reducing Ottoman forts and clearing the Dardanelles minefields.

The British War Council resolve that the Admiralty should prepare for a naval expedition in February against the Dardanelles

The British War Council approves the plan, and Carden is supplied with additional pre-Dreadnought battleships, the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth and the battlecruiser HMS Inflexible. Churchill argues for just a naval attack at the War Council. Cabinet approves the attack with ships

The British War Council resolve that the Admiralty should prepare for a naval expedition in February against the Dardanelles

The War Council accepts Churchills idea for a naval expedition to the Dardanelles. A plan to create a supply link to the Russian front & secure the Balkan states

Churchill argues for just a naval attack at the War Council

Asquith's War Council approves a naval operation intended to force the Dardanelles.

An attack on the Dardanelles could give Russia a supply route and might encourage Bulgaria and Romania to join the allied side

In a new year review submitted to the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, outlines two possible new fronts against the Germans, intended to break the stalemate and accompanying enormous loss of life which had rapidly set in on the western front.

The Russian plea for assistance, coupled with a perception of the Ottoman Empire as a weak enemy ("the sick man of Europe"), made the prospect of a campaign in the Dardanelles seem appealing.

The War Cabinet decides to send troops to the Dardanelles

What was to become the Battle of Gallipoli, a 10-month Battle of attrition, begins at 7.30am on February 19, 1915. The War Cabinet decides to send troops to the Dardanelles. Only 6 British ships are involved & 3/4 of the Turkish guns survive. Bombardment of the outer ports of the Dardenalles begins

The War Cabinet decides to send troops to the Dardanelles.

Guepratte leads French warships in the opening Allied bombardment of the Dardanelles forts.

Cevat's gunners resist the first large Allied bombardment of the straits.

Carden directs the opening Allied bombardment of Ottoman forts guarding the entrance to the Dardanelles.

George V & Churchill inspect the Royal Naval Div before it sails to the Dardanelles

The Allied fleet destroys outer forts of the Dardanelles

George V & Churchill inspect the Royal Naval Div before it sails to the Dardanelles

Carden resumes the naval assault and heavily engages the outer forts near Cape Helles.

Guepratte's ships move closer to Ottoman positions as the outer forts are suppressed.

Carden sends demolition parties ashore to destroy abandoned Ottoman guns and fort installations.

The operation was originally intended to be purely naval due to a lack of available troops and the independence of Lord of the admiralty Winston Churchill but.

by early February, it was decided that more regular infantry was needed.

Churchill presses the Admiralty to begin systematic attacks on Ottoman forts and minefields.

Carden begins implementing a phased plan to destroy outer forts, clear mines and attack the Narrows.

Allied troops land at Kum-Kale, the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles

Hakki prepares Nusret for a covert mining mission across Erenkoy Bay.

Cevat's defence preserves the newly laid Erenkoy mine line from Allied detection.

Hamilton is appointed to command the force being assembled for land operations at the Dardanelles.

Carden intensifies attacks on forts covering the Narrows while minesweeping remains incomplete.

Carden reports severe strain as pressure mounts for a decisive fleet assault.

Carden leaves command through illness and de Robeck takes over the naval operation.

De Robeck assumes command of the Allied naval force on the eve of the major Dardanelles attack.

De Robeck confirms the plan for battleships to silence the forts while minesweepers clear a passage.

A naval attack fails & the Inflexible & Irrepressible are lost

Commands a naval attack fails & the Inflexible & Irrepressible are lost

Guepratte's force suffers the sudden loss of Bouvet after the battleship strikes a mine.

De Robeck withdraws after mines and Ottoman fire sink three Allied battleships and damage several others.

Guepratte leads the French battleship division into the central phase of the 18 March naval assault.

Guepratte takes the French battleship division into the straits behind the first British line.

HMS Inflexible is badly damaged by a mine while withdrawing from the Narrows.

De Robeck's fleet loses HMS Irresistible after the battleship strikes a mine during the assault.

De Robeck orders the principal British and French battleship attack against the Ottoman straits defences.

Cevat's forts engage the Allied battleships during the largest naval attack on the straits.

HMS Ocean is lost after striking a mine while attempting to assist damaged ships.

De Robeck suspends another immediate battleship assault after the heavy losses of 18 March.

Keyes argues that determined minesweeping could still open a path through the straits.

De Robeck tells Allied commanders that troops are required to capture shore batteries before another naval advance.

Keyes supports using naval personnel when civilian trawler crews struggle under Ottoman fire.

Hamilton establishes headquarters and begins organising the multinational force for the peninsula invasion.

Cevat uses concealed mobile artillery to harass civilian-crewed minesweepers operating at night.

Keyes pushes minesweepers deeper into the straits despite heavy fire and strong currents.

Kitchener releases the 29th Division for Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Stoker takes submarine AE2 into the defended Dardanelles on the morning of the Allied landings.

Stoker receives instructions to enter the Sea of Marmara and attack Ottoman communications.

Stoker succeeds in taking AE2 through the Dardanelles into the Sea of Marmara.

With the failure of the naval assault, the idea that land forces could advance around the backs of the Dardanelles forts and capture Istanbul gained support as an alternative, on 25 April, the Gallipoli Campaign is launched

De Robeck provides naval escort, bombardment and landing craft support for the invasion.

Boyle takes submarine E14 beneath the Dardanelles minefields toward the Sea of Marmara.

Demands an end to the Dardanelles campaign in cabinet. Accuses Churchill of being "a determined mad gambler"

Churchill and Fisher continually quarreled throughout the campaign, and Fisher finally resigned on 15 May 1915 after repeated threats to do so

Fishers resignation, on top of poor progress in the campaign, precipitated the fall of the Government and Churchills replacement as First Lord

Fishers resignation, on top of poor progress in the campaign, precipitated the fall of the Government and Churchills replacement as First Lord. Churchill and Fisher continually quarreled throughout the campaign, and Fisher finally resigned on 15 May 1915 after repeated threats to do so

Churchill calls for reinforcements for the Dardanelles despite Fishers wishes

Nasmith takes E11 through the heavily defended Dardanelles toward the Sea of Marmara.

Boyle returns through the Dardanelles after a successful first patrol in the Sea of Marmara.

Nasmith attacks a patrol vessel during E11's first offensive sweep beyond the Dardanelles.

De Robeck withdraws major warships from close offshore support after submarine attacks sink Triumph and Majestic.

Nasmith returns after a patrol that sinks or damages numerous Ottoman vessels.

Boyle again takes E14 through the straits for a second offensive patrol.

Boyle returns from E14's second patrol after further disruption of Ottoman shipping.

Writes to Asquith, Kitchener & Balfour suggesting a naval attack, the plea is rejected

Despite heavy losses Churchill recommends troop reinforcements to the Dardanelles Comm

Nasmith begins another patrol intended to disrupt reinforcements and supplies for Gallipoli.

Proposes to the Dardanelles Committee Lloyd George replace Kitchener at the War Office. Proposes to the Dardanelles Committee French & Kitchener swap roles in Turkey & France

Proposes to the Dardanelles Committee French & Kitchener swap roles in Turkey & France

The Dardanelles Committee decides to recall Hamilton

The Dardanelles Committee decides to recall Hamilton, his last generals command

Dismissed after the Dardanelles campaign, never given another command

Asquith's government reviews the deteriorating campaign and competing demands for troops in the Balkans.

At the outset of the operation, the expected role of the infantry was to be the occupation of Istanbul; the taking of the straits was to be accomplished by the Entente naval forces.

The British hope to turn the Balkans against the Axis. The British hope to capture Constantinople & force Turkey to surrender

The operation was originally intended to be purely naval due to a lack of available troops and the independence of Lord of the admiralty Winston Churchill but, by early February, it was decided that more regular infantry was needed.

Venizelos wishes to send 3 Greek Divisions to the Dardanelles Constantine refuses. Venizelos resigns over Constantines policy

Commands the military forces at the Dardanelles

Cevat directs Ottoman coastal artillery and mine defences protecting the Dardanelles approaches.

Monro reports completion of the final Helles evacuation, ending the Allied Dardanelles expedition.

Involved in the successful bomardment of the outer-Dardanelles

Forced to hand over his command to John de Robeck, due to ill health

Learns Asquith witheld documents in the Dardanelles enquiry which would clear him

Decides not to allow documents from a Dardanelles enquiry to be released

Refuses release of documents connected with the Dardanelles inquiry.

The Cromer Commission is announced to investigate the Dardanelles Campaign

The formation of a Commission is announced to investigate the Dardanelles Campaign

The Cromer Commission is announced to investigate the Dardanelles Campaign

Announces the Cromer Commission to investigate the Dardanelles campaign.

Writes to Earl Cromer asking to present his own case without Counsel

Cromer informs Churchill the Commission will meet secretly & Churchill cannot examine

Says there was full authority & at the time there was a reasonable prospect of success. Appears at the enquiry to defend the Dardanelles Campaign

The findings are published but Churchills evidence is not. Churchill has his account of the Antwerp expedition published in the Sunday Pictoral