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BRAW LADDIES AMIDST THE CLASH OF THE EMPIRES
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if at all, as the consequence of naval success.
The British and FrenchArmies were already
fully committed, and thewar officewas under
pressure to deploy more soldiers to France.
In February it was agreed to earmark the
British 29th Division and the Royal
N
aval
Division.
However, the naval attack did not go
according to plan: Carden’s ships failed
to make much impression on the Turkish
defences – the guns’ trajectories were too
flat and the high explosive failed to damage
the heavily defended Turkish forts – and it
proved impossible to sweep the minefields
due to the accuracy of theTurkish field guns
and the strength of the local currents.
On 1
3
March he gave the command to General Sir Ian Hamilton, a former Gordon
Highlander. Hamilton was a veteran of the Boer War and one of the most experienced soldiers in
the BritishArmy.