Gallipoli Campaign
In Australia this Campaign is remembered for the amphibious Landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula, on the morning of 25 April 1915. The experience at Gallipoli would define not only a generation but the Nation of Australia.
In 1916, Acting Prime Minister, George Pearce, officially named 25 April as Anzac Day. It was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia and New Zealand, including a commemorative march through the streets of London, involving over 2000 Australian and New Zealand troops.
This tradition has continued to the present day.
This page offers a deep dive into the events that led up to the landings, the controversies that arose during/afterwards & more.
On This Page
Order of Battle
Uniforms & Equipment
Why Gallipoli
Russian appeal for help
On 2 January 1915, the British Government received an urgent appeal from the Commander of the Russian armies, Grand Duke Nicholas, asked the United Kingdom for help. Russia was fighting the Ottoman Empire in the Caucasus Campaign. Nicholas hoped that British action against the Turks would relieve pressure on Russian forces in Armenia.
The British agreed to help. 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 Türkiye.
They targeted the Dardanelles, strategically located between the Mediterranean and Black seas.
The attack on Gallipoli was one of the more imaginative strategies of World War I.
At the start of the war, the German Imperial Army had delivered a crushing blow to Russia at the Battle of Tannenberg and had been forced eastwards. The Russians were threatened by a Turkish advance through the Caucasus. Thus Russia appealed to their allies for help.
Gaining control of the narrow straits of the Dardanelles leading to the Sea of Marmara and the Turkish capital, Constantinople (now Istanbul) would:
-
re-establish communications with Russia
-
open a shipping route to the Mediterranean to release merchant ships locked in the Black Sea by Türkiye
Thus the dice were cast & the plan evolved from that point.
The Plan
The Original Plan - Naval Attack
The New Plan - Invasion
Gallipoli Timeline
Timeline Key
Tags
This allow you to Filter events
Plus & Minus
This allows you to see timeline in total, year-by-year, month-by-month or day-by-day
Full Screen/Minimise
This allows you to view timeline in fullscreen or to close fullscreen
Search
This allows you to search the timeline for Battles & Events
Zoom Slider
This allows you to increase zoom or reduce level of zoom
Battles & Events
Below we have added key events, which we then expanded on by including images, videos & first hand accounts.
Frist hand accounts are either quotes, letters home, books, diarys, audio interview or video/video interview.
Preparations at Lemnos - 04 March 1915
The day before, the Legend - 24 April 1915
Gallipoli Campaign Overview Videos
The Landing Overview - 25 April 1915
British Colonials-ANZAC Cove - 25 April 1915
British Forces- Beaches - 25 April 1915
French Forces- Kum Kale - 25 April 1915
Forgotten Heroes- AE2 - 24-30 April 1915
Ottoman Counter-Attacks - 26-30 April 1915
Daily Life
The period between the final battles of May and the start of the August Offensive could be described as relatively quiet. But operations continued the peninsula.
For example, the Third Battle of Krithia was fought at Helles by British and French forces on 4 June 1915.
At Anzac on 29 May 1915, the Ottomans launched an attack against Australian positions at Quinn's Post by exploding a mine at 3:30am. While the attack was halted, operations in and around Quinn's Post and other sections of the Anzac line were persistent during June and July.
Daily Duties
Training
Rest & Recreation
Order of Battle
The ORBAT (Order of Battle) can assist researchers & teachers by displaying the structure & strength of units participating in a campaign, in a way that easily displays hierarchy of command. When used in addition to maps and other sources (books, movies, and such), it can put into perspective the challenges faced by commanders and soldiers, but also illuminate reasons why commanders made certain choices.
Ottoman Empire
ORBAT for Gallipoli 1915
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
ORBAT for Gallipoli 1915
Key Figures
Under Generals, Commanders & Others, we have included key persons from both sides of the conflict. These notable figures include Major General William Bridges, General Sir Ian Hamilton, Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal, Field Marshal Otto von Sanders & Others.
Under Victoria Cross we have place the Australian VC winners in chronological order of the actions they received the medal for.
Generals, Commanders & Others
Central Powers
Allied Powers
Victoria Cross Winners of Gallipoli
Inventions & Innovations
Below are all the inventions & Innovations that were designed during this Campaign.
For more Inventions & Innovations see WW1 Innovations.
Jam Tin Bombs
Periscope Rifle
Drip or Pop Off Rifle
Education & Media Resources
Below are Educational Resources, which have been made by DVA's ANZAC Portal.
Under Media are recommened Books, Documentries, Videos & TV/Movies
Educational Resources
Media Resources
We have created a list of recommened Books, Documentries, Videos & TV/Movies
Film & TV
Film & TV Shows are great ways of engaging and learning about history. That said these are also notorious for being inaccurate. However, they can still teach history if supplemented with the truth after the fact. By doing this not only can students or audiences be entertained, and hopefully enticed to learn more, but also, they can walk away with the truth.
The Aim of this segment is to recommend the most accurate movies and TV shows that deal with the topic on this page, while also alerting the would-be audience of the historical inaccuracies.
YouTube Videos
YouTube Videos and Channels that are relavant to this topic
Books
Books are imperative to tell the myriads of stories which our web page could never hope to do.
Books range from Biographies to more depth information.
Music
Music about & Inspired by Gallipoli