 On 3 November 1914 , Churchill ordered the first British attack on the Dardanelles following the opening of hostilities between Turkey and Russia . The attack was carried out by Indomitable and Indefatigable , as well as the French pre @-@ dreadnought battleships Suffren and Vérité . The intention of the attack was to test the fortifications and measure the Turkish response . The results were deceptively encouraging . In a twenty @-@ minute bombardment , a single shell struck the magazine of the fort at Sedd el Bahr at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula , displacing ( but not destroying ) 10 guns and killing 86 Turkish soldiers . The most significant consequence was that the attention of the Turks was drawn to strengthening their defences , and they set about expanding the mine field . This attack actually took place before a formal declaration of war had been made by Britain against the Ottoman Empire which did not happen until 6 November . Indefatigable was remained in the Mediterranean until she was relieved by Inflexible on 24 January 1915 and proceeded to Malta to refit . Having completed her refit she sailed to England on 14 February where she joined the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron ( BCS ) upon her arrival . 
