Tag Archives: Gallipoli

18 May 1915

May 18th.                                                                   R.M.S. “ORSOVA” We’re nearing Malta. … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian character, Edwardian marriage, Heroism and Adventure | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gallipoli: The situation

To Hamilton’s request for ‘two fresh divisions organized as a corps’ (see my post of 6 May), Kitchener replied on 10 May that he could send him only one. This was the 52nd (Lowland) Division, which would take almost a … Continue reading

Posted in Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

16 May 1915

May 16th.                                                                  R.M.S. “ORSOVA” […] when I woke … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

De-appling

In my 22 January post I explained the meaning of the Edwardian verb ‘to apple’. I mentioned that five lines in George’s letter to Kittie of 10 May 1915 were ‘appled out’ and I was following up ‘forensic programmes’ for … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian English, Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The bifurcator biffed

Faithful followers of this blog know that since last September I have been dogged by the rival claims of writing the blog and finishing the biography. The methods of each are so different that at times it’s felt schizophrenic — … Continue reading

Posted in Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

13 May 1915

If Kittie was still at Devonport, when she opened her curtains in the hotel this morning she would have seen that the Orsova had vanished. At midnight last night, in George’s words of three days later, the huge ship ‘suddenly went … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

12 May 1915

It is not 100% clear when Kittie returned to the B&B at Brockhurst that she and George had stayed in on the weekend of 8-9th before leaving for Devonport on Monday 10th, but the implication of something George says in … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

11 May 1915

The troop ship Orsova was now lying at its buoy offshore at Devonport. George imagined Kittie ‘following our adventures with a telescope from the Hotel’. Next entry: 12 May 1915

Posted in Edwardian marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transfiguration and parting

Today, 10 May 1915, which was a Monday, George and Kittie set out on the 140-mile journey by train from Gosport to the naval base of Devonport, where he was to embark for an unknown destination. Five other officers from … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian marriage, Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hypothesis, or conspiracy theory?

Whilst writing Crime and Punishment Dostoevsky reminded himself in his notebook that he must ‘establish why Raskol’nikov killed the old woman’; although he had already suggested several reasons in the novel. The question ‘why George Calderon insisted on signing up at the … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian character, Heroism and Adventure, Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

8 May 1915

Today Kittie accompanied George to Brockhurst, where they stayed two days, probably at a B&B called Warwick House run by a Mrs Seymour. On the train journey, it is highly probable that George bought The Times and read a sensational letter … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian character, Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

7 May 1915: Farewell to friends

A telegram arrived at tea-time on the Friday [7 May 1915] saying he would be home that evening for one night’s leave only to return next day to Fort Brockhurst to await immediate orders to go on active service. His Mother, sister, … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian character, Edwardian marriage, Personal commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

6-8 May 1915: The Second Battle of Krithia

By yesterday, the 29th Indian Brigade and some of the 42nd Division had arrived from Egypt as reinforcements and the stable situation at Anzac Cove made it possible for 6000 men to be transferred to Helles. Hamilton therefore felt strong … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

3 May 1915

By now Sir Ian Hamilton had lost over a quarter of his fighting force at Helles and desperately needed reinforcements. Churchill, Fisher and Kitchener, acting on the British and French admirals’ telegrams, anticipated Hamilton in his request and troops were … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Turkish counter-attack

If the events at Helles on 28 April amount to the First Battle of Krithia, those of 1-4 May deserve to be called the Second. Liman von Sanders’s forces were now overwhelming. He was peremptorily ordered by his War Minister, … Continue reading

Posted in Edwardian literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

28 April 1915: The First Battle of Krithia

Yesterday a general advance began at Helles, occupying the ground vacated by Turkish forces the day before. The Allied line now extended from coast to coast about two miles up from the tip of the Cape. Simultaneously, Turkish reserves streamed … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment