The Dardanelles Conspiracy by Alan Bardos (best ereader for pc TXT) 📗

is also possible that we might face an assault here, at Cape Helles. This would allow the Allies to force their way through to Achi Baba.’

He tapped his finger on a large mountain some 12 miles from Cape Helles. ‘From here the enemy can dominate our artillery positions along the Straits. I have placed one division in this location, with the majority of it in reserve north of Achi Baba to cover the possible landing sites to the south at Cape Helles, which are particularly vulnerable to naval gun fire.’

Breitner presumed that was why von Sanders had placed his reserve so far from Cape Helles and why Stolz was so gleeful about sending Kurt there.

‘Finally, I have the 19th Division, who are the strategic reserve. I’ve placed it at the centre of the peninsula, where it can cover the beaches at Gaba Tepe in the West. However once the enemy has tipped their hand the 19th will move to the most endangered position.’

‘The 19th will be the vanguard of your defence?’ Breitner asked.

‘Quite possibly, I would be more confident if they were sent more men. A point I have raised with Enver Pasha time and again, to no avail,’ von Sanders said bluntly.

‘Perhaps if a place could be found for me on your staff, I might be able to report such matters to Enver Pasha?’ Breitner said.

‘Yes, I think that can be arranged,’ von Sanders agreed.

Chapter 44

Johnny Swift struggled to steady the boat, before carefully stepping out and wading towards the shore. He’d always had an aversion to getting his head under water. Unfortunately, the only boats available for the landings were naval cutters, that pitched and rolled as he clambered out.

He struggled to keep up with the lead sections, who were already lying along the wire providing covering fire, for the cutting parties. They were only firing blanks but were determined to follow the manual that directed one must bring overwhelming fire to bear on the enemy. To ensure one can get at him with cold steel.

The cutting parties had hacked ragged gaps in the wire by the time Johnny reached his company and the men were pouring through, fanning out into an open skirmish line.

The Lancashire Fusiliers were a crack regiment, in the 86th ‘Fusilier’ Brigade, of the 29th Division and took the enemy trenches, with the minimum of effort required from the interpreter.

The exercise concluded, the men took a breather before heading back to the transport ship, bantering as they cleaned sand out of their rifles. Johnny had been attached to C Company as a glorified observer from Headquarters Company. Richards, one of the company sergeants, glared and Johnny kept moving.

If this had been the real thing Johnny supposed that he would go forward now to interrogate any prisoners taken, but as there weren’t any he was rather at a loss. He joined a group of officers who, pleased with their victory, were passing around a hip flask of rum. Johnny took a sip and handed it on.

He was enjoying his time on Lemnos. After a week of drills and route marches he was getting somewhere back to fighting fit. Aside from the occasional storm and cramped living conditions on board ship, it was a fine place to be in the spring.

‘I think that went rather well, what say you, Swift?’ Aubrey, one of the subalterns, asked looking at Johnny through his monocle.

Yes, the men executed the exercise perfectly,’ Johnny agreed. As someone who’d seen action and saved Hamilton’s life, his opinion was often sought by the junior officers. ‘But few plans survive contact with the enemy, especially when the enemy’s firing back.’

Johnny never knew what to say and always played a straight bat, with a cliché. The idea of jumping out of a boat and running through a hail of bullets into barbed wire was not a pleasant one. He'd been in a battle the previous year, outside Ypres, when he and a scratch force had fought off the Prussian Guard. This was something else altogether, something that had never been done before and he had no idea what would happen.

‘Yes, but it is after all only the Turk we’re up against, and they’ve put on a pretty poor show so far.’ Aubrey said.

‘They did make rather a good show when the navy tried to force the Straits. I was there,’ Johnny said. ‘They also have the home advantage, they know we’re coming and have had time to prepare.’

Aubrey and the other officers stared at him a little warily, not entirely sure what to make of him. He was an officer, but not after all a regular officer and not even from the regiment.

‘When you faced them, Swift, it was just the navy on its own. This time the Army will be there,’ Winterbottom, another of the subalterns, chimed in. He was terribly earnest and looked around at the other officers, desperate to be seen to have said the right thing.

‘Quite,’ Captain Willis, the commander of C Company said. ‘Beside the fact that the Turks are reported to be short of shells, their troops are not famed for their expertise in modern warfare. Their poor showing in the Crimean war has carried on into the recent Balkans wars and the current conflict, with the debacle in the Caucasus against the Russians. Not to mention our beating them at the Suez and in Mesopotamia.’

‘This time next month we’ll be in Constantinople,’ Aubrey said brightly.

‘And I’ll buy you all a drink at a café I know near the Tokatliyan Hotel,’ Johnny said, ‘the can-can dancers are quite stunning.’

‘That’s the spirit,’ Willis said.

The idea of going back the Constantinople as a conqueror and ruffling some feathers appealed to Johnny. That was the way to end the war and redeem himself, not sneaking around bribing government ministers.

‘I say, Bromley, is there