The fleet committed eighteen ships on 18 March, losing Bouvet, Irresistible, and Ocean while several others were damaged. The wider force could absorb additional pre-dreadnought losses for the strategic prize, especially because Ottoman forts were short of ammunition and only a limited mine barrier remained. Withdrawal gave the defenders time to rebuild, reinforce, and improve infrastructure. This interpretation depends on accepting further casualties to exploit a fleeting advantage rather than assuming the mines, shore guns, and forts had already ceased to be dangerous.
Chapter · 59:20-1:07:03
The near-breakthrough on 18 March
The Allied fleet had losses it could absorb and was close to exhausting the forts, but de Robeck chose to pause instead of forcing the final defenses.