Gallipoli and the Anzacs

The Gelibolu Peninsula Historical National Park, which has a total area of 33,000 hectares, was founded in 1973 and is on the United Nations list of Parks and Protection Areas. It is located within the province of Canakkale, on the southern edge of the Gelibolu Strait, upon the European shore of the Dardanelles (Canakkale Bogazi).

From Edirne and Istanbul, it can be reached from the Tekirdag and Gelibolu highways. From Canakkale, there are ferries to Kilitbahir and Eceabat. There is a small domestic airport in Canakkale.

This area is known for the war cemeteries and memorials for the Turkish and foreign soldiers killed during the Canakkale sea and shore battles in 1915. There are sunken ships, trenches, castles, towers and hundreds of remains from the war. In total, there are graves and memorials of around 250,000 Turkish soldiers, and 250,000 from Australia, New Zealand, England and France. Thousands of people visit the war cemeteries every year, and it is one of the most famous sites in Turkey.

The entire area has been officially registered as a historical site area, and has enormous cultural importance. Within the park, there are also many archaeological sites and monuments, some of which date back to 4000 B.C. Between the ancient sites and monuments, there are beaches, bays, an interesting variety of plant life, a salt lake and geological and geomorphological structures. The thickly wooded hills and valleys of the area are though to have played an important role on the outcome of the war.

There is an information centre and museum in Kabatepe, and a Management and Visitors' Centre in Eceabat. There is no accommodation available, but there are facilities for camping, and also refreshments.

Why did the Anzacs land at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915?

 

Events Leading up to the Landing

 

The attack on Gallipoli was one of the more imaginative strategies of the First World War.

The German army had delivered a crushing blow to Russia at Tannenberg at the start of the war and had been driving eastwards. The Russians were threatened by a Turkish advance through the Caucasus and appealed to their allies for assistance. Gaining control of the Dardanelles would re-establish communications with Russia and release wheat and shipping locked in the Black Sea by Turkey.
           

 

Besides this, British strategists had for many years before the war believed that the best defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal was an attack on Turkey.

The British Royal Navy could have gone a long way towards achieving these goals by steaming through the Dardanelles straits in November 1914 and shelling Constantinople (now Istanbul) and perhaps putting the government to flight. Instead, they cautiously tested the range of the Turkish guns by bombarding the shore batteries.

The Turkish commanders immediately became aware of their vulnerability to further attacks and strengthened their defences to include carefully laid minefields, well-sited guns and searchlights that swept the narrows at night.

Three months later, a British and French fleet that included 18 battleships, attempted to force its way through to Constantinople. Three capital ships were lost and three crippled.

Unknown to the Allies, the Turkish gun batteries had almost exhausted their ammunition supplies in this effort, and the fleet could have sailed on through the straits with little further damage. Instead, the naval commanders came to the conclusion that they could not force their way through the Dardanelles unless troops were first sent to occupy the Gallipoli Peninsula in force to silence the Turkish guns. Planning for the landing of troops on Gallipoli commenced.

 

Ashmead-Bartlett – The first report in Australia of the landing at Gallipoli

Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett

 

         Reports by War Correspondents at the Landing

           

Reprinted from – Hobart Mercury 12 May 1915

BATTLE OF GABA TEPE

AUSTRALIANS COVER THEMSELVES WITH GLORY

AT THE TURKS WITH COLD STEEL

AN ACHIEVEMENT TO COMPARE WITH MONS

A BRILLIANT DESCRIPTION

TASMANIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION–ALL CABLES COPYRIGHT

 

We publish today a brilliant description of the landing of the Australians and New Zealanders on Gallipoli Peninsula by that experienced war correspondent, Mr Ashmead Bartlett. It is a thrilling story, a story that will make us all feel proud of our soldiers. They have shown that, though transplanted to these southern skies, the breed is still the same as that of the men of Mons and Waterloo, and a hundred other great battles. They were in a desperate position when they landed on the narrow beach in the dawn, but they did not hesitate. They carried the Turkish trenches on the beach and on the cliffs, and, without the support of artillery, held on all day of Sunday, April 25. Their dash and courage saved the situation, and no troops that ever marched have done better.

The battle, or, rather, series of battles, continues to rage, but there must be now large force on the small strip of country from Gaba Tepe to the point of the peninsula. We now hear of Indian troops being there as well as French and British. The latest news is that a great battle is proceeding, to prevent a division of Turkish reinforcements from joining the main forces. It is probable that it is the Australians and New Zealanders that are engaged in this operation.

There has been further fighting in the Woevre district of France, east of Verdun.

The Austrians claim a great victory in West Galicia, but they could never force the Russians from any position they wished to keep. What has happened is that the Austro-Germans, by a great concentration on the Donigetz River to the east and south-east of Cracow, and with the help of heavy guns have caused the Russians to fall back in that region from the Donigetz and Binla rivers to Jazlo and Biecz on the Wistoka River which is the line they held six weeks ago. Here, doubtless, the advantage of the heavy guns is lost. The Russians made a strategic movement, which does not weaken, but probably strengthens their line, and does not affect the general situation.
                       

 

Detail from a coded telegram sent by Ashmead-Bartlett

Detail from a coded telegram
sent by Ashmead-Bartlett
(In the collection of the
State Library of NSW)

 

General Botha has had further successes in South-West Africa. He is gradually cutting off and drawing round Windheck.

AUSTRALIAN HEROES.

THE LANDING OF THE TROOPS.

WONDERFUL GRIT AND DASH.

A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION.

Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, the war correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" who was on board a warship with 500 Australians forming part of the covering troops for the landing at Gaba Tepe on the Aegean side of the Gallipoli Peninsula, states:—

"It required splendid skill, organisation, and leadership. The huge armada got under way from Mudros Bay, on the Island of Lemnos, without accident. The warships and transports were divided into five divisions. Never before has an attempt been made to land so large a force in the face of a well-prepared enemy.
                       

 

Coded telegram sent by Ashmead-Bartlett

A coded telegram
sent by Ashmead-Bartlett
(In the collection of the
State Library of NSW)

 

"At 2 o’clock on April 24 the flagship of the division conveying the Australians and New Zealanders passed down the long line of slowly-moving transports, amid tremendous cheering, and was played out of the bay by the French warship.

A PRAYER FOR VICTORY.

"At 4 o’clock the ship’s company and the troops on board assembled to hear the admiral’s proclamation to the combined force. This was followed by the last service before the battle, in which the chaplain uttered a prayer for victory, and besought the Divine blessing for the expedition, all the men standing with uncovered, bowed heads.

STEAMING TO THE RENDEZVOUS.

"At dark all the lights were put out, and the troops rested for their ordeal at dawn. It was a beautiful calm night, with a bright, half-moon.

 

Portrait of Ashmead-Bartlett

Portrait of Ashmead-Bartlett from
Despatches from the Dardanelles
(In the collection of the
State Library of NSW)

 

                       

 

THE LAST HOT MEAL.

"By 1 o’clock in the morning the ships had reached their rendezvous, five miles from the intended landing place. The soldiers were aroused, and served with their last hot meal before landing. The Australians, who were about to go into action for the first time under trying circumstances, were cheerful, quiet, and confident, and there was no sign of nerves or excitement.

THE FIRST LANDING.

"As the moon waned, the boats were swung out. The Australians received their last instructions, and these men, who only six months ago were living peaceful, civilian lives, began to disembark on a strange, unknown shore, and in a strange land to attack an enemy of a different race.

"Each boat, which was in charge of a midshipman, was loaded with a great rapidity in absolute silence, and without a hitch, and the covering force towed ashore by the ships' pinnaces. More of the Australian brigade were carried aboard torpedo-boat destroyers, which were to go close inshore as soon as the covering force had landed.

 

"At 3 o’clock it was quite dark, and a start was made towards the shore with suppressed excitement. Would the enemy be surprised, or be on the alert?

"At 4 o’clock, three battleships, line abreast and four cables apart, arrived 2,500 yards from the shore, with their guns manned and their searchlights in readiness. Very slowly, the boats in tow, like twelve great snakes, moved towards the shore. Each edged towards each other in order to reach the beach four cables apart. The battleships moved in after them until the water shallowed. Every eye was fixed on the grim line of hills in front, menacing in the gloom, and the mysteries of which those in the boats were about to solve.

"Not a sound was heard, not a light seen, and it appeared as if the enemy had been surprised. In our nervy state the stars were often mistaken for lights ashore.

 

THE ENEMY’S FIRST ALARM.

"The progress of the boats was slow, and dawn was rapidly breaking at 4.50 when the enemy showed alarm for a light which had flashed for ten minutes then disappeared. The boats appeared almost like one on the beach. Seven torpedo-boat destroyers then glided noiselessly towards the shore.

"At 4.53 came a sharp burst of rifle fire from the beach. The sound relieved the prolonged suspense which had become almost intolerable. The rifle fire lasted a few minutes, and a faint British cheer came over the waters, telling us that the first position was won.

"At three minutes past 5 the fire was intensified. By the sound of the reports we could tell that our men were in action. The firing lasted for 23 minutes, and then died down somewhat.

A TERRIBLE FUSILLADE.

"The boats returned, and a pinnace came alongside with two recumbent figures on deck, and a small midshipman, who cheerfully waving his hand said, "With shot through the stomach." The three had been wounded in the first burst of musketry. The boats had almost reached the beach when a party of Turks, who were entrenched on shore opened a terrible fusillade from rifles and Maxim guns. Fortunately, most of the bullets went high.

RUSH FOR THE TRENCHES.

"The Australians rose to the occasion. They did not wait for orders, or for the boats to reach the beach, but sprang into the sea, formed a sort of rough line, and rushed at the enemy’s trenches. Their magazines were not charged, so they just went in with the cold steel, and it was over in a minute for the Turks in the first trench had been either bayoneted or had run away, and the Maxim guns were captured.

 

A CRITICAL MOMENT.

"Then the Australians found themselves facing an almost perpendicular cliff of loose sandstone covered with thick shrubbery. Somewhere half-way up the enemy had a second trench strongly held, from which there poured a terrible fire on the troops below and on those pulling back to the torpedo-boat destroyers for a second landing party.

SCALING THE CLIFFS.

"Here was a tough proposition to tackle in the darkness, but these Colonials are practical above all else, and went about it in a practical way. They stopped for a few minutes to pull themselves together, got rid of their packs and charged the magazines of their rifles. Then this race of athletes proceeded to scale the cliffs, without responding to the enemy’s fire. They lost some men, but did not worry. In less than a quarter of an hour the Turks had been hurled out of their second position, all either bayoneted or fled.

THE WRONG LANDING POINT.

"As daylight came it was seen that a landing had been effected rather further north of Gaba Tepe than had originally been intended, and at a point where the cliffs rise very sheer. The error was a blessing in disguise, for there were no places down which the enemy could fire, and the broken ground afforded good cover once the Australians had passed the forty yards of the flat beach.

A RUGGED COAST LINE.

"The country in the vicinity of the landing looked formidable and forbidding. To the sea it presents a steep front, broken into innumerable ridges, bluffs, valleys, and sandspits, rising to a height of several hundred feet. The surface is bare, crumbly sandstone, covered with shrubbery about six feet in height.

SNIPERS AT WORK.

"It is an ideal place for snipers, as the Australians and New Zealanders soon found to their cost. On the other hand, the Colonials proved themselves adept at this kind of warfare.
                       

 

Telegram detail

The central logo design on the
"Alexandria Station" telegram
sent by Ashmead-Bartlett
on the 30 June 1915.
(In the collection of the
State Library of NSW)

 

"In the early part of the day heavy casualties were suffered in the boats conveying the troops from the torpedo-boat destroyers, tugs, and transports. The enemy’s sharpshooters, who were hidden everywhere, concentrated their fire on the boats.

"When close in, at least three boats broke away from their tow, and drifted down the coast without control, and were sniped at the whole way, and were steadily losing men.

"The work of disembarking proceeded mechanically under point blank fire, but the moment the boats touched the beach the troops jumped ashore and doubled for cover. From hundreds of points this went on during the landing of troops, ammunition, and stores.

"When it was daylight the warships endeavoured to support the landing by heavy fire from their secondary armaments, but, not knowing the enemy’s position, the support had more of a moral than a real effect.

AT DAYLIGHT.

"When the sun had fully risen we could see that the Australians and New Zealanders had actually established themselves on the ridge, and were trying to work their way to the northward along it. The fighting was so confused, and occurred on such broken ground that it was difficult to follow exactly what had happened on the 25th April, but the task of the covering forces had been so splendidly carried out that the Turks allowed the disembarkation of the remainder to proceed uninterruptedly, except for the never-ceasing sniping. But then the Australians, whose blood was up, instead of entrenching, rushed to the northwards and to the eastwards searching for fresh enemies to bayonet. It was very difficult country in which to entrench, and they therefore preferred to advance.

THE COVERING FORCE CHECKED.

"The Turks only had a weak force actually holding the beach, and relied on the difficult ground and the snipers to delay the advance until reinforcement came. Some of the Australians and New Zealanders who pushed inland were counter-attacked and almost outflanked by oncoming reserves, and had to fall back after suffering heavy losses.

"The Turks continued to counter-attack the whole of the afternoon, but the Colonials did not yield a foot on the main ridge.

 

ALANYA

With its vast beaches, historic sites, the innumerable fish restaurants of its modern hotels and motels and its cafes and bars, Alanya, is an outstanding holiday getaway.

The first thing that greets the visitor is the 13th century Seljuk Castle,which sits like a crown on top of the Alanya Peninsula. Besides the impressive castle, there is the shipyard and the Red Tower (Kizil Kule) with monumental beauty. All along the road which runs beside the port are latenight cafes and bars and boutiques selling handicrafts, leather clothing, jewelry, handbags and local gourds painted with extraordinary colors.

If you like to explore caves, then you must see Damlatas Cave. Near the cave is the Ethnography Museum. By boat you can reach three other caves: the Phosphorous Cave with its phosphoric rocks, Girls Cave (Kizlar Cave), where pirates held their women prisoners, and Lovers Cave (Asiklar Cave). The cool shade of Dim Brook Valley, 15 km east of Alanya, is an ideal place to get away and relax. The sea all around Alanya is excellent for swimming. Alanya is a paradise of sun, sea and sand.

History
Based on skeletal evidence found between the villages of Bademagaci and Oba northeast of the city, Alanya is believed to have been inhabited in pre-historic times.Alanya was sometimes considered part of Cilicia and sometimes part of Pamphilia. It was later ruled by the Hittites and Romans respectively. In a bad state of repair after a number of invasions and wars, the city was rebuilt by the Romans. In the Byzantine era, Alanya was called Kolonoros, which means the 'beautiful mountain'.

Climate
Because of its climate, plants from all over the world can be found in Alanya. Some of the most common are oranges, bananas, vegetables of all kinds, tropical fruits from South Africa and India such as papaya, guava, avocado and a variety of dates and coffees. Alanya has a typical Mediterranean climate with wet humid winters and hot dry summers. The average temperature year-round is 19ºC. The water averages 21ºC.