Australia’s Involvement in the Gallipoli Campaign
The Gallipoli Campaign was a disaster and leading it all was Winston Churchill, first lord of the British Admiralty. In an attempt to end the war by overpowering Germany, Churchill ordered an attack on Turkey. It was planned for the Dardanelles, a stretch of water, to be attacked which would enable access to Russia, an ally, and to attack Constantinople then Turkey. Numerous naval attacks by the French and the British failed to capture the Dardanelles, resulting in the decision to attack on land.
Unfortunately, luck for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or ANZACs, didn’t improve. The ANZACs were sent to Gallipoli to fight the Turks on 25 April 1915. They had intended to land at Cape Tepe but instead landed at a place now called Anzac Cove, two kilometers away from Cape Tepe. This misfortunate event gave the Turks a big advantage. The ANZACs had to swim to the land and Blackburn said, “All this this time bullets were whizzing all around us and men were falling here and there” (The Australian). Not only were the ANZACs unprepared for the rough terrain without any cover, the Turks had the higher ground and easily shot down the overwhelmed and panicked ANZACs.
The Battle of the Lone Pine and The Nek were intended to advance the ANZACs position and took place on the 6 and 7 August. The enemy frontline was “… concealed by pine logs and earth’ (amw.gov). The ANZACS were required to remove the obstacles while the Turks fired at them. These men fought hand-to-hand, unable to use their rifles. At the Battle of The Nek, the ANZACs had been ‘… bombarding the Turkish trenches with shellfire” (amw.gov, The Gallipoli Campaign). For some reason, the ANZACs ceased fighting which allowed the Turks to regroup. The ANZACs were shot when they charged with their rifles unloaded. The evacuation of the ANZACs occurred between the 8 and 20 December 1915, and was the most successful part of the Gallipoli campaign.
Unfortunately, luck for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or ANZACs, didn’t improve. The ANZACs were sent to Gallipoli to fight the Turks on 25 April 1915. They had intended to land at Cape Tepe but instead landed at a place now called Anzac Cove, two kilometers away from Cape Tepe. This misfortunate event gave the Turks a big advantage. The ANZACs had to swim to the land and Blackburn said, “All this this time bullets were whizzing all around us and men were falling here and there” (The Australian). Not only were the ANZACs unprepared for the rough terrain without any cover, the Turks had the higher ground and easily shot down the overwhelmed and panicked ANZACs.
The Battle of the Lone Pine and The Nek were intended to advance the ANZACs position and took place on the 6 and 7 August. The enemy frontline was “… concealed by pine logs and earth’ (amw.gov). The ANZACS were required to remove the obstacles while the Turks fired at them. These men fought hand-to-hand, unable to use their rifles. At the Battle of The Nek, the ANZACs had been ‘… bombarding the Turkish trenches with shellfire” (amw.gov, The Gallipoli Campaign). For some reason, the ANZACs ceased fighting which allowed the Turks to regroup. The ANZACs were shot when they charged with their rifles unloaded. The evacuation of the ANZACs occurred between the 8 and 20 December 1915, and was the most successful part of the Gallipoli campaign.