experiments of the Gallipoli landings was put to the test, and,
despite the cleverness of its conception, it did not meet with great
success.

A large transport vessel, the _River Clyde_, had been loaded with
about 2,000 troops. She had been reconstructed inside and great doors
had been cut in one of her sides. The troops were ready on long
platforms for instant disembarkation. The ships were to be run ashore,
as close as possible to the beach, lighters were to be floated in
between her and the shore, the side doors were to be flung open, and
the troops were to rush ashore and carry the slopes by sheer momentum.
In the front of the vessel, protected by sandbags, was a battery of
machine guns which, it was hoped, would be especially effective in
protecting the landing force from counterattacks.

As at the other landings, the Turks gave no sign of life until the
collier had been beached and the other landing force had almost
reached the shore in its tows. Indeed, so long did they hesitate in
opening fire that at one time the watchers on the warships thought the
landing was going to be unopposed. They were soon disabused of such an
idea, however, as the first of the towboats grounded on the sandy
beach, the Turks opened fire from a dozen different positions. Many of
the Dublin Fusiliers were killed before they were able to get out of
their boats. A few scrambled ashore and reached the shelter of the
escarpment that rimmed the beach. The Turks concentrated their fire on
the boats and their crews. None of them were able to get away, and
almost instantly their crews were killed and the boats wrecked.

Meantime the _River Clyde_, had been run ashore. Unfortunately, the
operation was not carried out as expeditiously as it was hoped it
would be, and the Turks soon became aware of the intentions of the
British. They poured a punishing fire on the naval party attempting to
get the lighters into position between the ship and the shore. The
heavy tide that at this point sweeps around the point of land also
seriously interfered with the work. Finally however, by deeds of
heroism that received subsequent official acknowledgment, the lighters
were got into position and the doors of the _River Clyde_ flung open.

At a trot a company of the Munster Fusiliers led the way. It was
almost impossible to live for even a short time in the fire that the
Turks concentrated upon the lighters, and hardly a man reached the
shore. Nothing daunt