Battle Fleet Protection Assigned to Daylight Sweep
Carden's final operational plan places the minesweepers under close protection of the battle fleet for the proposed daylight clearance.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1915 in Great Britain — Page 5
Explore 626 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1915.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1915
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March
Carden Reports Strain before Decisive Attack
Carden reports severe strain as pressure mounts for a decisive fleet assault.
Daylight Minesweeping Plan Developed
Carden proposes a daylight minesweeping operation closely protected by the battle fleet after repeated night attempts fail.
Merchant Ship Losses Statement Provided
Churchill provides information on British merchant ships detained, captured or destroyed during the war.
Battle of Gallipoli
March 18 is a significant victory for the Ottoman Empire
Dardanelles Command Passed to de Robeck
Carden leaves command through illness and de Robeck takes over the naval operation.
Health Breakdown Removes Carden from Operational Direction
Severe illness and nervous exhaustion prevent Carden from continuing direct command on the eve of the major fleet assault.
Dardanelles Fleet Command Assumed
De Robeck assumes command of the Allied naval force on the eve of the major Dardanelles attack.
Dardanelles Plan Continues under de Robeck
De Robeck inherits Carden's operational concept and prepares the large fleet attack scheduled for 18 March.
Eastern Mediterranean Command Relinquished
Carden formally relinquishes the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron to John de Robeck because of his deteriorating health.
Eighteenth March Battle Plan Confirmed
De Robeck confirms the plan for battleships to silence the forts while minesweepers clear a passage.
Battle of Dardanelles
A naval attack fails & the Inflexible & Irrepressible are lost
Battle of Dardanelles
Commands a naval attack fails & the Inflexible & Irrepressible are lost
Fleet Withdraws after Battleship Losses
De Robeck withdraws after mines and Ottoman fire sink three Allied battleships and damage several others.
Inflexible Damaged by Erenkoy Mines
HMS Inflexible is badly damaged by a mine while withdrawing from the Narrows.
Irresistible Lost during Strait Assault
De Robeck's fleet loses HMS Irresistible after the battleship strikes a mine during the assault.
Main Dardanelles Naval Assault Ordered
De Robeck orders the principal British and French battleship attack against the Ottoman straits defences.
Ocean Lost during Withdrawal
HMS Ocean is lost after striking a mine while attempting to assist damaged ships.
Dardanelles Battleship Losses Condemned
After the 18 March losses, Fisher tells the War Council that the sinking of major ships cannot be dismissed.
Eighteenth March Battleship Losses Reviewed
Churchill reviews the severe losses suffered during the main Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles.
Fleet Assault Suspended after Eighteenth March
De Robeck suspends another immediate battleship assault after the heavy losses of 18 March.
Renewed Minesweeping Urged after Eighteenth March
Keyes argues that determined minesweeping could still open a path through the straits.
Twelve-Battleship Loss Estimate Reaffirmed
Fisher repeats his view that forcing the Dardanelles by naval power alone could cost about twelve battleships.
Land Support Declared Necessary
De Robeck tells Allied commanders that troops are required to capture shore batteries before another naval advance.
Battlecruiser Fleet Scouting Role Expanded
Beatty's force develops its role as the fast scouting arm intended to locate enemy heavy ships.
Civilian Minesweeper Crews Replaced
Keyes supports using naval personnel when civilian trawler crews struggle under Ottoman fire.
Dardanelles Army Headquarters Established
Hamilton establishes headquarters and begins organising the multinational force for the peninsula invasion.
Downstream Sweeping Method Attempted
Carden's command experiments with sending trawlers upstream before turning to sweep with the current through the minefields.
Fleet Loss Concerns Raised before Final Assault
Fisher expresses concern that battleships are being risked before the minefields are fully cleared.
Ground Invasion Backed after Naval Failure
Asquith's government accepts that troops must seize the Gallipoli defences before the fleet can advance.
Kilid Bahr Plateau Set as Strategic Objective
Hamilton identifies the Kilid Bahr plateau as essential for neutralising the forts covering the Narrows.
Naval Volunteers Replace Civilian Sweeping Crews
Royal Navy volunteers increasingly replace reluctant civilian trawler crews in attempts to improve minesweeping under fire.
Neuve Chapelle Ammunition Lessons Reviewed
Reviews ammunition expenditure after Neuve Chapelle highlights the enormous shell demands of modern offensives.
Night Minesweeping Adopted
Carden shifts much minesweeping work to darkness in an attempt to reduce exposure to Ottoman guns and observation.
Night Minesweeping Effort Intensified
Keyes pushes minesweepers deeper into the straits despite heavy fire and strong currents.
Renewed Naval Attack Advocated after Losses
Churchill continues pressing for renewed naval action despite the battleship losses.
Searchlights Disrupt Night Sweeping
Ottoman searchlights illuminate slow trawlers at night, allowing shore batteries to interfere repeatedly with minesweeping.
Trawler Crews Abandon Sweeping Gear under Fire
Some civilian trawler crews fail to stream minesweeping gear when Ottoman fire becomes intense during an attempted sweep.
Twenty-Ninth Division Released for Dardanelles
Kitchener releases the 29th Division for Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
Unprotected Surprise Sweep Attempted
A night attempt sends trawlers without close battleship protection in hopes of surprising Ottoman defenders.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.