Glenn Wahlert - Exploring Gallipoli: An Australian Army Battlefield Guide

A USTRALIAN ARMY CAMPAIGNS SERIES - 4

EXPLORING
GALLIPOLI

AN AUSTRALIAN ARMY BATTLEFIELD GUIDE

LIEUTENANT COLONEL GLENN WAHLERT

Copyright Army History Unit

Campbell Park Offices (CP2-5-166)

Canberra ACT 2600

AUSTRALIA

(02) 6266 4248

(02) 6266 4044 fax

Copyright 2010 Commonwealth of Australia

First edition 2008

Second edition 2011

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Author: Wahlert, Glenn.

Title: Exploring Gallipoli/ Glenn Wahlert.

Edition: 2nd ed.

ISBN: 9780980475357 (pbk.)

Series: Australian army campaigns series; 4.

Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Subjects: 1. World War, 19l4-1918Battlefields-Turkey-Gallipoli-Guidbooks.

2. World War, 1914-1918Campaigns-Turkey-Gallipoli. 3. Australia-History-Military. I. Australia. Dept. of Defence. Army History Unit. II. Title. (Series: Australian Army Campaign Series)

Dewey Number: 940.426

Printed by Big Sky Publishing, Sydney

Title page image: Anzac Cove (Painting by Frank Crozier)

CONTENTS

Sidebar:

Lone Pine Memorial

SECTION 1: HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book aims to provide practical touring information for the independent traveller to Gallipoli, doubling also as a handy guide to the fascinating First World War Anzac battlefields. While there are a number of existing guidebooks on Turkey, none of these provides adequate detail on both the battlefields and the attractions of the surrounding area while simultaneously including an overview of the campaign and detail on the events that marked specific locations. This book aims to both supplement the existing stock of guidebooks and fill the gaps. It is not intended as a comprehensive history of Gallipoli. For those wishing to research the detail of the campaign, specific battles or locations, please refer to the Bibliography provided at the end of this book.

Australians and New Zealanders are justifiably renowned as global wanderers. Among the tourists picking their way through the ancient sites of Rome, sipping a G&T in Raffles, or shopping in Bloomingdales in Manhattan, it is not unusual to detect the distinctive Australian accent piercing the buzz of the crowd. This is particularly the case on the Gallipoli Peninsula where every year literally thousands of Australians and New Zealanders attend the dawn service at the North Beach commemorative site. Throughout the year, Aussies and Kiwis of all ages wander the battlefield or frequent the numerous bars and cafs at either anakkale or Eceabat processing through the country in a steady stream. In the week before Anzac Day the stream becomes a torrent and the usual patter of Turkish is drowned in the increasing burble of strine.

There is no doubt that Turkey is increasingly becoming a major drawcard for antipodean tourists. It is financially affordable and, given its location on the crossroads of Europe and Asia, offers the traveller a stunningly diverse range of experiences: beautiful beaches, thousands of years of history (including two of the seven ancient wonders of the world), exotic food and a mild climate (at least for most of the year). Add to this the truism that the Turks are among the friendliest people in the world (with the possible exception of Istanbuls cabbies), and the fact that the Gallipoli Peninsula lies on one of the most popular travel routes through Turkey, and the country quickly earns a position on the average globetrotters list of great places to visit in a lifetime.

Turkish troops observing the Australian front line at Gallipoli. (AWM A05299)

For the average Australian tourist, a visit to Turkey remains affordable, although it is not as cheap as it once was. The alert traveller can still find the odd bargain, although haggling is an absolute necessity. The western side of Turkey (where the battlefields are located) is generally regarded as just as safe as most European cities. Despite this, intending visitors are strongly urged to check the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades travel advisories prior to departure, paying particular attention to the section on safety and security.

As a final note, while this guide provides sufficient information on hotels and tourist sites in Istanbul to equip the traveller for a short stay, this book is mainly focused on the Gallipoli area. Visitors planning a longer stay in exotic Istanbul, or a journey to other Turkish cities and towns, should invest in one of the better known guidebooks on Turkey, such as The Lonely Planets Turkey (www.lonelyplanet.com) or Frommers Turkey (www.frommers.com). Those Gallipoli visitors who are keen to spend more time than suggested in this book, or to research the British sites at Helles, Krithia and Suvla in more detail, are advised to consult one of the recommended tour books detailed in the Bibliography.

An Australian sniping team looking for targets. (AWM A05765)

SECTION 2: SOME BASIC FACTS

WHY DO I NEED A GUIDEBOOK TO THE BATTLEFIELDS?

The Anzac area at Gallipoli is unique among battlefields. While large areas over which the British and French fought have been returned to farmland or villages, the rugged, steep cliffs that both shocked and challenged the waves of Australians and New Zealanders in 1915 remain largely untouched. One can still walk through Monash Valley and spot the Turkish sniper locations or stand in a trench-line at The Nek or Lone Pine and see just how close Johnnie Turk actually was. And it is still common to trip over a piece of shrapnel, find bullets and cartridge cases sticking out of the dirt and, sadly, even uncover human remains.

A reliable guidebook, or an informed guide, should be able to draw the attention of the visitor to all of this and more. There is so much to see that the unwary traveller is likely to miss half of the key locations (such as the lovely Shrapnel Valley and Shell Green cemeteries and the magnificent views from Plugges Plateau) and waste time wandering aimlessly. Those eight months of the peninsula campaign were so extraordinarily eventful that a quick drive around the area cannot do the location justice or provide the visitor with a sense of the sacrifice made by so many fellow Australians.

Shell Green Cemetery.