along the shore of the Gulf of Saros in an attempt to
give an element of surprise to the real attack.

As Sir Ian Hamilton subsequently wrote, the question of weather was
one of vital importance to the success of the landing. If, after a
number of the troops had been thrown upon the beaches, bad weather had
intervened, prevented further landings and perhaps driven the fleet
and auxiliary vessels to Mudros Harbor, the unfortunate troops ashore
would have been wiped out.

Sunday, April 25, 1915, however, was a perfect day. The low mist of
the early morning hid the great fleet until it was close to the shore
of the peninsula. As the day progressed the mist disappeared, the blue
sky presented an unbroken expanse, while no wind disturbed the placid
sea. In a setting such as this was enacted one of the greatest battles
of all history.

At the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula were five small beaches. They
were subsequently named by the Allies, for identification purposes,
Beaches S, V, W, X, and Y. Against these points was to be flung the
Twenty-ninth Division, supported by some of the naval division. These
troops, once having gained the shore and held it against the enemy
counterattacks, were to push on in all haste by the road that led to
the village of Krithia, northwest of Achi Baba, turn east before
reaching that place, and carry Achi Baba with a rush.

At the same time the Australian and New Zealand troops were to effect
a landing at Gaba Tepe, about twelve miles up the AEgean coast of the
peninsula and about three and a half miles south of Sari Bair. Running
southeast from near Gaba Tepe was a good road connecting with the town
of Maidos, on the Dardanelles, above the Narrows. The whole way lay
through low country and, once in command of this road, the allied
troops would not only sever direct communications between Sari Bair
and Kilid Bahr but would be in a position to attack the defenses of
the latter on the flank.

[Illustration: Pictorial Map of the Dardanelles, Showing Where the
Allies Landed.]

Meantime the French were to make a landing at Kum Kale on the Asiatic
side of the straits. There is some doubt as to the real purpose of
this landing. After the French had reembarked--"driven off with
terrible losses," according to the Turkish official account--it was
claimed that the landing was merely a diversion. Certainly nothing
more than that could be claimed for a feint made by a portion of the
Naval Division f