Landing at Cape Helles - S & X Beaches

S & X Beaches

S and X Beaches were small landings on the flanks of the main V and W Beaches respectively. S Beach lay inside the straits on Morto Bay and was two miles (3 km) from V Beach. X Beach was under the cliffs on the Aegean shore, around from W Beach. The troops landed at these beaches were the divisional reserve and therefore had no immediate objectives of their own, other than to secure their beachhead and wait.

The S Beach landing was made by three companies of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, under Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Cassel. The landing was complete by 7.30 am. The opposition of 15 Ottomans were swiftly captured and casualties were light. The landing was supported by the battleship HMS Cornwallis. These companies remained, virtually untouched and inactive, for two days until the French took over the right flank at Helles.

At X Beach, two companies of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, were ashore by 6.30 am without a casualty. The beach had been covered by 12 Ottomans who fled from the point-blank bombardment by the battleship HMS Implacable and the cruiser HMS Dublin. As the day progressed, an Ottoman counter-attack almost drove the British back to the beach before it was checked. The 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment and 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, landed at X Beach later in the day. Troops from X Beach joined with those from W Beach to capture Hill 114 later in the morning.

After the initial period of fighting, the three battalions at X Beach remained stationary, awaiting the advance of the main force off of V and W Beaches.