Today, the Commander of the East Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Sackville Carden, suddenly telegraphed the Admiralty that he could do no more to knock out the Intermediate Defences of the Dardanelles until he had received more planes for aerial reconnaissance inland. Meanwhile, he would concentrate on clearing the lines of mines across the Straits, because without doing that he could not get within decisive range of the ‘Inner Defences’. But his minesweepers had hardly been very successful so far. They were trawlers manned by fishermen who did not regard it as part of their contract to sweep mines under heavy fire…
Next entry: 10 March 1915
