"18 August : Middlesex Yeomanry aboard a “Beetle” bound for Suvla", picture reproduced from "Gallipoli, 1915-Pens, Pencils and cameras at war", (London 1985), Peter H. Liddle, p. 134

"prow of one of the "beetles", Suvla", picture reproduced from "The uncensored Dardanelles", (London 1928), Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, p. 257.

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last updated : 21/08/07

 

Most important of al, the Navy now had several of Fisher’s motor-lighters for which Hamilton had appealed unsuccessfully in March. They were bullet-proof, could carry 500 men each, and had long ramps at the bowls down which the troops could disembark in a matter of minutes when the boats grounded.  This removed the nightmare of April 25^th ; this time there would be not pathetic gaggles of rowing-boats toiling ashore under fire, but fast, armoured landing-craft, capable of landing a division in a few hours. The arrival of the lighters at Mudros in July-at once called ‘beetles ‘ by the sailors on account of long projecting arms of the landing ramps, which resembled antennae, and their back paint-removed G.H.Q.’s greatest anxiety about a new landing.

“Gallipoli”, Robert Rhodes James, p. 239

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