CHAPTER XII

SUVLA BAY

Description of the bay and surrounding country--General Stopford and IXth Corps--Divisional Generals--Evening August 6 to evening August 7--The embarkation--Work of the Navy--The landing beaches--Capture of Lala Baba--Ill-luck of 34th Brigade--Delay and confusion of Brigades and Divisions--Hill’s Brigade (31st)--Its advance round Salt Lake--Capture of Chocolate Hill--General Mahon on Kiretch Tepe Sirt--Evening August 7 to evening August 8--Silence at Suvla--Failure of water distribution--Sir Ian visits Suvla--His orders to General Hammersley--Scimitar Hill abandoned by mistake--Evening August 8 to evening August 9--Turks reinforced return to positions--Failure of our attack on Scimitar Hill--Sir Ian proposes occupation of Kavak and Tekke Tepes--He sends his last reserve to Suvla--Evening August 9 to evening August 10--Renewed attack on Scimitar Hill--Its failure--General Stopford ordered to consolidate line--Evening August 10 to evening August 11--Landing of 54th Division--Confusion of front lines--Battalions reorganised--Evening August 11 to evening August 12--Sir Ian again urges occupation of Kavak and Tekke Tepes--Disappearance of 5th Norfolks--General Stopford’s objections--The 10th Division on Kiretch Tepe Sirt (August 15)--Failure to maintain advance--General De Lisle succeeds General Stopford temporarily in command of IXth Corps--Other changes in command 286