Gallipoli
Page 15
• 35,000 British
• 10,000 French
• 8,141 Australians
• 2,700 New Zealanders
• 1,300 Indians
• 49 Newfoundlanders
61,522 Australians had lost their lives by the end of the First World War.
On 19 May 1915, 42,000 Turkish soldiers made a full frontal attack on the ANZAC trenches. It is estimated that 10,000 Turkish soldiers were wounded and 3,000 killed within six hours. 160 ANZACs were killed and 468 wounded.
A German-Turkish military alliance was deemed beneficial to both countries. A secret treaty was signed on 2 August 1914. Germany wanted the Ottoman empire, under Turkish leadership, as an ally to help protect its eastern front. The Ottomans were losing control over their empire and believed that access to German military equipment and advisers would allow them to retain power. General Otto Liman von Sanders, a German military adviser and commander, travelled to Turkey to reorganise the Turkish army and navy under German leadership. German officers were, therefore, stationed on the Gallipoli peninsula and involved in military command when the ANZACs invaded in 1915.
Two regiments of the Australian 3rd Light Horse Brigade were slaughtered when they were ordered to make a full frontal assault on Turkish trenches on Baby 700. They charged across a narrow strip of land named The Nek. 600 men took part in the attack on 7 August, 1915: 234 men died from 372 casualties. Only eight Turkish deaths were confirmed.
Trooper Harold Rush of the 10th Light Horse Regiment died in the third wave. His famous last words were, ‘Goodbye Cobber, God bless you.’
The 1981 film, Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir, focuses on the charge of The Nek. The film modifies events and therefore contains historical inaccuracies.
Australian casualties in the battle for Lone Pine were over 2,000: between 5,000 and 6,000 Turks were killed or wounded.
The lonesome pine was not standing by the end of the Gallipoli campaign as described in my story: it was blown to pieces soon after the ANZAC landing. Its trunk could be clearly seen from the Australian trenches.
Pine cones attached to cut branches, placed as cover over the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine, were souvenired by two Australian soldiers. Seeds were later collected.
Lone Pines or Gallipoli Pines have been planted across Australia in honour of the soldiers who fell during the battle. A solitary pine was planted at the Lone Pine Cemetery on the Gallipoli peninsula and another at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The first book on The Battle for Lone Pine was published in 2012. It is written by David Cameron.
Seven Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross for actions performed during the four days of fighting at Lone Pine. Only two other Victoria Crosses were awarded to Australians throughout the whole of the eight-month Gallipoli campaign.
John Dunn, a New Zealand soldier, fell asleep at his post and was sentenced to death by a court martial. He was later released to rejoin his unit but died in an attack on Chunuk Bair.
I mostly refer to one Chaplain, Chaplain Frank, but there were many Chaplains who served on the peninsula. Chaplain Walter ‘Bill’ Dexter scattered silver wattle seeds on the Gallipoli peninsula.
The Gallipoli campaign was the first major battle undertaken by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). It marks the birth of national consciousness in both countries. Anzac Day, 25 April, is commemorated every year in Australia and New Zealand. It has more meaning to the public than Armistice Day/Remembrance Day on the 11th day of the 11th month.
In Turkey, the battle for the Gallipoli peninsula is regarded as a defining moment in the history of the Turkish people. The Ottoman Empire was crumbling in 1915. Eight years after the Gallipoli campaign the Turkish War of Independence was fought which led to the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.
Australia and Turkey fought each other at Gallipoli but have since developed a bond of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation.
Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You, the mothers (of Australian and New Zealand), who sent your sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
A message from the Turkish leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in 1934. Commander in the Turkish Army and founder of Modern Turkey.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan Tucker has spent half of his 60 years as a city dweller and half in rural surroundings. He juggled life as both a teacher and writer for 20 years but has now retired from teaching to devote himself to full-time writing. He has a small backyard shed-studio but does much of his research and writing in public libraries, Australia’s secret treasures.
Alan’s other titles include My Australian Story: Atomic Testing, My Australian Story: The Bombing of Darwin, My Australian Story: Cyclone Tracy, Iron in the Blood and Battlefield.
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First published by Scholastic Australia in 2013.
Text copyright © Alan Tucker, 2013.
Cover copyright © Scholastic Australia, 2013.
Cover photography: Troops landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, 1915.
Copyright © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, unless specifically permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 as amended.
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Author: Tucker, Alan (Alan R.), 1952-
Title: Gallipoli / Alan Tucker.
ISBN: 978-174283-639-5 (pbk.)
Series: My Australian story.
Subjects: Australia. Army. Australian and New Zealand Army Corps –Juvenile fiction.
World War, 1914-1918–Campaigns–Turkey–Gallipoli Peninsula –Juvenile fiction.
Dewey Number: A823.3
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