HMS Prince George - Part 3 - Cape Helles - Suvla Bay - C Beach

‘Admiral de Robeck’ boarding HMS Prince George

Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael de Robeck, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCMG, GCVO was an officer in the Royal Navy. In the early years of the 20th century he served as Admiral of Patrols, commanding four flotillas of destroyers. De Robeck commanded the allied naval force in the Dardanelles during the First World War.

Perhaps this was a visit to give the orders to the Captain of the Prince George for the imminent Suvla Bay C Beach landing.

‘Destroyer en route for Cape Helles with troops’

Possibly heading for Suvla Bay, from Mudros, Aug. 1915, Gallipoli Campaign.

HMS Prince George

‘Leaving HMS Prince George at Mudros for the landing at Suvla Bay - Aug 2nd 1915’

Perhaps a mix of the Prince George R.N Officers, Army Officer/troops and I think a couple of Greek Infantry Officers. (I’m not an expert so I’m open to correction!)

The landing at Suvla Bay was an amphibious landing made at Suvla on the Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire as part of the August Offensive, the final British attempt to break the deadlock of the Battle of Gallipoli - WW1. The landing, which commenced on the night of 6 August 1915, was intended to support a breakout from the ANZAC sector, five miles (8 km) to the south.

The Royal Navy landed troops on A,B & C beaches while providing firepower from monitors and destroyers. The Navy also supplied beach parties, each major warship providing men. A naval base station was established on the beach and signal stations attached to this station relayed communications from the Army, especially artillery forward observers, to the ships.

‘Leaving HMS Prince George at Mudros for the landing at Suvla Bay - Aug 2nd 1915’

RMLI or British Army Officer?

‘Leaving HMS Prince George at Mudros for the landing at Suvla Bay - Aug 2nd 1915’

‘Trawler 755 towing up from Mudros for the Suvla landing’ Aug 2nd

‘Trawler 755 towing up from Mudros for the Suvla landing’ Aug 2nd 1915. Leaving HMS Prince George.

How troops landed at C Beach

Suvla Bay - Dardanelles - Gallipoli

Scenes on C Beach after the landing - August 7th 1915

Suvla Bay - Dardanelles - Gallipoli

Suvla is a bay on the Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros.

On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landing at Suvla Bay by the British IX Corps as part of the August Offensive during the Battle of Gallipoli. The landing and others at various points along the peninsula were designed to capture the peninsula from Turkish troops defending it, and to open the Dardanelles Straits to British warships, thus facilitating a planned naval attack on Constantinople (Istanbul). The Gallipoli campaign ended in failure and high casualties for the British side, which included numbers of Australians, New Zealanders, Indians, Irish, and Newfoundlanders.

Scenes on C Beach after the landing - August 7th 1915

Suvla Bay - Dardanelles - Gallipoli

‘Captain Metcalfe R.N. in charge of C. Beach’ Aug 7th 1915

Suvla Bay - Dardanelles - Gallipoli

‘Some of the guns landed. Shell bursting on the ridge’ Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

‘Digging ourselves in - Aug 7th 1915’ .

J Plumpton & crew from HMS Prince George landed on C Beach Suvla Bay’

‘Our first dugout - Aug 7th 1915’ .

J Plumpton & crew from HMS Prince George - C Beach Suvla Bay’

Naval Review Quote from Officer on HMS Prince George:

Just before the sun rose the Commander suggested I should start on a shell shelter. It was very lucky we had the coal bags, as it was impossible to dig any trenches near the beach. As soon as the hole was more than a foot deep the sand ran in and filled it up again. We decided to start where the stores had been stacked, near where we had been working. Some of the men had already set tot work, but were building the shelters facing right to seaward. I set them to work to alter the direction, so that we should be protected from the Sari Bahr guns. The protection only consisted of rows of coal bags filled with sand. This is a very good shield against shrapnel, and if any H.E. is fired we must take our chance. We scooped out little trenches at the back of the bags, and the'n spread the boats awnings over the top. The result was quite a good shelter, which was fortunate, as we had to live in it for two days. We brought all the stores under the shelter, and then got some water to boil. Everyone was glad of some tea, as we had been working hard all night. The awnings had been painted a sort of khaki colour before we left the ship, so did not show up much against the sand.

‘Our new dugout - Aug 1915’ .

J Plumpton & crew from HMS Prince George - C Beach Suvla Bay’

Naval Review Quote from Officer on HMS Prince George:

8th.-By noon on Sunday, we had found a better place for our camp, more to the north and just off the beach round the point. There was a little cove there which was not used, as the entrance was a mass of rocky snags. So w-e decided to shift our camp. During the lulls everyone turned to, and we got the gear round in the cutter in several trips; she could just get in there. About 5 p.m. everything was round, and the Commander gave me a few hands to get the place rigged up. The officers' mess was up against the small cliff, and the other three sides were merely coal bags filled with. the earth .we dug out when levelling the inside. Roats awnings for the roof and a gap of three feet , between the top of the sides and the roof. However, after great labours I got the place quite comfortable, for the present weather at any rate. The military landing officers have joined the mess, and as all stores pass through our hands we ought to do all right.

‘Landing mules - aug 1915. C beach Sulva Bay

‘Scenes taken at various points of Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

Photos taken by James Plumpton - HMS Prince George

‘Scenes taken at various points of Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

Naval Review Quote from Officer on HMS Prince George:

I think a great feature of the landing arrangements has been the speed with which these odd jobs have been done. There mas a telephone to Anzac laid within half an hour of the beach party getting ashore at C; the wireless station on Lala Baba was ready by daylight on the first morning, the nets were laid a few hours afterwards; there was a regular routine of trips from the clearing hospitals, and an almost constant supply of water on the beaches. What the enemy submarines were thinking of to allow all this to go on undisturbed I can't imagine. They missed many fine opportunities at Suvla.

‘Scenes taken at various points of Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

‘A captured Turk’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

Note the P.G in the background - property of HMS Prince George

‘Various dugouts, tents etc at Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

I am not 100% sure but judging by the cap insignia I believe this was a British Army soldier serving in 'The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). I'm intrigued what the arm band means - VLO?

‘Various dugouts, tents etc at Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

'One of the wounded' - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

‘Various dugouts, tents etc at Suvla’ - Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

Possibly James Plumpton back right

Scenes at C Beach - Suvla - Aug 1915

‘C. Beach scenes at Suvla - Field telephones at work’

- Aug 1915. C Beach Suvla Bay.

Scenes at C Beach - Suvla - Aug 1915

‘French Vice Admiral giving short address at the funeral of a French seaman’

1915 Gallipoli Campaign, Exact location unknown. Possibly C Beach

‘Our dog Kip’

Possibly at Mudros, Lemnos Island before Suvla landings or off Cape Helles, ~ march 1915.

‘Our dog Kip’

‘Pic-nic at Mudros Summer 1915’

Probably in March, earlier in year before Sulva Bay landings . I think the person standing looks like Lieut. G Stacey RMLI

(see .page 2 for more info. on him) - James Plumpton possibly bottom left.

‘Prince George Midshipmen’ (and ships dog Kip)

Undated but likely to be Spring/Summer 1915.

‘Commdr. C.N.T Carill-Worsley’ - On HMS Prince George Summer 1915

I believe this is Charles Nicolas Tindal-Carill-Worsley

Captain Charles Tindal-Carill-Worsley, RN, (died 1920) a great grandson of Sir Francis Sacheverel Darwin, served on the Royal Yacht HMY Victoria and Albert III during the reign of King Edward VII, before a successful career in the First World War, where he was commander of HMS Prince George during the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915. He was appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the President of France during 1918.

‘Commdr. C.N.T Carill-Worsley’ .

Commander on HMS Talbot, HMS Prince George, HMS Foresight

He was promoted to Captain on 30th June 1917.

Captain of HMS Minotaur, HMS Curlew, HMS Dunedin

Also see him in Officers photo's on page 2

‘Ships company bathing’ 1915 Gallipoli Campaign,

‘Turkish Prisoners’ . 1915 Gallipoli Campaign,

Exact location unknown. (Mudros or Suvla Bay)

‘Greek youngsters’ - 1915 Gallipoli Campaign,

‘Suvla Bay’ ~ Aug 1915.

‘Broken picket boat on boat deck Prince George’ ~ Aug 1915.

‘‘Suvla Bay’ ~ Aug 1915.

The Prince George crew used this K23 boat to unload supplies, dummy guns etc to C Beach - see photo's further below

‘‘Suvla Bay’ ~ Aug 1915.

Shell falling near HMS Glory’ ~aug 1915, Suvla Bay.

I think this refers to the splash on the left hand side, which looks close

HMS Glory was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy and a member of the Canopus class. Intended for service in Asia, Glory and her sister ships were smaller and faster than the preceding Majestic-class battleships, but retained the same battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns. She also carried thinner armour, but incorporated new Krupp steel, which was more effective than the Harvey armour used in the Majestics. Glory was laid down in December 1896, launched in March 1899, and commissioned into the fleet in November 1900.

In June 1915, she was reassigned to the Mediterranean, and she took part in the Dardanelles Campaign, though she saw little action during that time, as her crew was needed ashore to support the troops fighting in the Gallipoli campaign.

Stormy Weather off Cape Helles

‘Monitors chased out Suvla Bay’ - 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.

That looks like a shell landing on the right hand side

‘Turks shelling HMS Louis’ -1915 Suvla Bay, Gallipoli Campaign.

HMS Louis was a Laforey-class destroyer built for the British Royal Navy during the 1910s. She participated in the Dardanelles campaign, during which she was wrecked in Suvla Bay in 1915.

Laid down as Talisman, the ship was renamed on 30 September 1913 to Louis before being launched. Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan (Yard No 491) and launched 30 December 1913, she was wrecked in Suvla Bay on 31 October 1915 during the Dardanelles campaign. A naval mine and Turkish artillery destroyed most of the ship. The wreck lies sunken at a depth of 14 meters.

‘Hole in ventilator from 4.5 Shell’ - 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.

Photos taken by James Plumpton - HMS Prince George.

‘A. West Sulva Bay’ ~Aug. 1915, Gallipoli Campaign.

‘Captain Nasmith’s submarine E11’ summer 1915, Gallipoli Campaign.

Also see better photo's earlier in the album

Transport torpedoed off Mudros’ - August 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.

I have ascertained that this ship was the captured German ship ‘Pfalz’ which was converted to a troopship, His Majesty’s Australian Transport (HMAT) Boorara, with the pennant number A42.

When this photo was taken in July 1915, Boorara was transporting Turkish prisoners of war to Egypt when she was in a collision with a French cruiser Kleber. The ship was taken to Mudros for temporary repairs, then Naples for full repair.

Transport torpedoed off Mudros’ - August 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.

In 1918 the ship was torpedoed off Beachy Head. It was decided to tow it to Southampton where the next day it was torpedoed again in the same spot as previous torpedo. It was repaired in a dry dock and discovered the ship had nearly broken in two. Repaired again, the ship with new engines returned to the Commonwealth in 1919 with Australian troops. In 1926 it was renamed Nereus and ran aground in fog , then broke up on rocks off Cape Neale, Vancouver Island in Aug. 1937.

‘French hospital ship Canada’ I’m sure that this is an error in the album as it doesn’t look like the Canada to me. (I have previously posted a pic of the Canada)

I haven’t been able to identify the ship so far, if anyone has any ideas, please feel free to send an email. Photo taken from HMS Prince George. 1915.

Suvla Bay taken from Anzac’. Summer 2015.

‘Hospital ship HMHS Aquitania’ ~July 1915 Mudros, Lemnos Island, Gallipoli Campaign.

‘Dummy guns made on board HMS Prince George & landed at Suvla Bay’ ~July/Aug 1915.

My understanding is that the dummy guns were used so that the Turkish spies would see an increase in equipment being landed, and assume the British troops were planning to advance into the mainland. The truth was that there was a need to evacuate 18,000 troops and equipment in 24-48 hours, a large scale retreat would results in large casualties if they were attacked by the Turks. From what I have read, the evacuation was successful with no, or very few casualties, and the Turks took about 8 hours to realise the shores had been abandoned.

‘Dummy guns made on board HMS Prince George & landed at Suvla Bay’ ~July/Aug 1915.

‘Views of Anzac’ Summer 1915. Gallipoli Campaign.

Final album photo - ‘Views of Anzac’ Summer 1915. Gallipoli Campaign.

This is the end of James Plumpton's Photo Album - I hope you enjoyed it.

HMS Prince George participated in bombardments of Turkish forts and supported the Allied operations at Gallipoli, including the evacuation of thousands of troops, equipment and mules from the peninsula late in 1915. Afterwards, she spent the remainder of the war back in the United Kingdom, initially as an accommodation ship before being converted to a depot ship for destroyers in 1918 and stationed at Scapa Flow. For this latter role, she was renamed Victorious II before reverting to her original name in 1919. Decommissioned in 1920, she was sold for scrapping to a German company but sank off the Netherlands during transit to Germany.

Either during or after the evacuation, James Plumpton became ill with dysentery and was on a hospital ship for over a month. He returned to service a month later and retired as Commander from the Royal Navy Reserves in 1922. After the war James got married and was involved in treasure hunting and merchant shipping in the Caribbean.

Please see the contents menu for more information about James Plumpton

If you have any information to add or any comments, please drop me an email: jamesplumpton.history@gmail.com

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