Took a walk with Ernest around Alverstoke in morning and evening.
Archives for February 2015
Saturday 27 February 1915
English and French bombard the Dardanelles and reduce 4 forts to powder.
A card party at Draycots.
Ernest, [Martin], Mr Walker and myself, up till 12 midnight.
*The Naval Bombardment of the Dardanelles – Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, was eager to push the navy into the Gallipoli Peninsula to attack Ottoman defenses there. He hoped that an all-naval assault in the Dardanelles Straights would provide a path to Constantinople and knock Turkey out of the war, as well as open a supply lane to Russia. The plan was to attack the heavily fortified cliffs with naval artillery and sweep minefields along the way. The campaign failed, as naval power alone was unable to destroy the Turkish forts or their mobile batteries. The failure was an embarrassment for Churchill, who was dismissed from his post at the Admiralty in the aftermath.
Friday 26 February
No entry
Thursday 25 February 1915 – frost
My aunt Mrs Anne Humphreys is buried at Caerleon (2 pm) Church, Monmouthshire
Germans sink 2 American 3 Norwegian and 1 Spanish ships in this “Blockade”
*German Naval Blockade of 1915 – On February 4th of 1915 Germany officially declared a naval blockade of Britain. They stated that the waters around Great Britain and Ireland were now a war zone and that after February 18th any merchant ship in the region would be destroyed. This declaration was quickly protested by the Americans who traded with Britain but had not yet entered the war. Due to this protest the Germans withdrew the declaration. However it was restated in 1917 and soon after the U.S. joined the war effort.
Wednesday 24 February 1915 – snow
Writing out and copying manuscript on Draycot family.
My Birthday 32 Years of Age
Tuesday 23 February 1915 – fine and frosty
Write letters in morning to Lilian of Bath and Miss Sister Gosling of Oxford.
Writing out manuscript for my book on Draycot family.
Monday 22 February 1915 – snow
To the Orderly Room at New Barracks Gosport and get an extension of two weeks leave after medically examined by a Doctor of Royal Army Medical Corps. Colonel of the Highland Light Infantry signs the pass.
Snowing in afternoon.
Ernest and I recopy the family tree.
Sunday 21 February 1915
Took long walk with Ernest.
My Aunt Mrs Anne Humphreys died at 11 pm, peacefully
Saturday 20 February 1915 – fine
Writing letters all morning.
Shown round the art schools of Gosport with Ernest.
To a theatre with Ernest at 7:30 pm. Home at 10:30 pm
Friday 19 February 1915 – showers
Up at 8:30. Letters from Bessie and Harry. A newspaper cutting from the Daily Vancouver Province gives a glowing account of myself re wounded etc.
Show.
