ABSTRACT
EARLY IN FEBRUARY 1915, a light cruiser of the British East Indies Station might have been observed dropping anchor off Alexandretta. In the following days landing parties would proceed to liaise with Turkish troops and with the British Consul and to execute various reconnaissance tasks. Among the party, acting in an intelligence capacity, was Captain Aubrey Herbert MP,1 a well-connected and linguistically gifted Turkophile of aristocratic stock. Although it was Herbert's first experience of Ayas Bay, in mid-December HMS Doris had already undertaken operations there against Turkish communications.2
