From Dartmouth to the Dardanelles: A Midshipman's Log by Wolston B. C. W. Forester

A young naval cadet's wartime diary becomes both a coming-of-age story and a tribute to the boys who were forced to grow up at sea. Framed by his mother's heartfelt introduction, this memoir defends the publication of his experience and places the extraordinary youth of the Dartmouth cadets alongside the larger sacrifice of the Great War. It is a patriotic, personal account of discipline, danger, loss, and courage. The story begins with the cadet's first arrival at Dartmouth in spring 1914, where cold baths, hurried dressing, crowded meals, drills, and relentless supervision turn schoolboy life into naval training. Even recreation is controlled by rules, records, and physical tests, as rowing, swimming, games, and exercises prepare the boys for service. When mobilization comes in July and August, the routine explodes into urgency: packing, farewells, train journeys, and the shock of real war. From Chatham to fleet maneuvers, coaling stations, Weymouth leave, and Channel patrols, the diary follows the cadet through gunnery practice, inspections, shore leave, and the hard realities of service. The journey continues overseas to Egypt, Mombasa, Dar-es-Salaam, and the Dardanelles, ending with the sinking of the ship and a return home, leaving behind a vivid record of adventure, endurance, and loss. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.