One of the greatest war stories of Turkish history, The Gallipoli Campaign (Battle of Gallipoli) took place in Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916. Despite the enormous damage, caused to the Turkish Army, the Gallipoli campaign was undoubtedly a disaster for Allies in World War One.
Naval Battle
On
18th March 1915, at the beginning of the Dardanelles campaign, the
commander of the Allied fleet, Admiral de Robeck divided the fleet
into three sections. The first section entered the straits at 10.30
am. and penetrated as far as the row of mines. The Intepe batteries
started a heavy fire.The Intepe, Erenkoy and Tengertepe batteries
intensified their fire and a fierce bombardment continued for three
hours. In the afternoon Admiral de Robeck withdrew his ships in
the third section and threw forward six warships waiting in the
rear. During the withdrawal, one of the ships hit a mine and sunk
after a terrible explosion.The naval battle continued in all its
intensity for seven hours. In the face of the dogged resistance
of the Turkish Straits Defense, Admiral de Robeck decided that nothing
further could be done that day. During this operation three ships
from the Allied Fleet had been sunk and three badly damaged. It
was under these circumstances that Admiral de Robeck, at 17.30 brought
the days' operation to a close with the order, "All ships,
general withdrawal."
Land Battles
In
spite of all the efforts in the Dardenelles from 19th February to
18th March nothing had been gained by the Allied Forces. Now, alongside
the Naval bombardments and amphibious operation was under consideration
in order to capture the peninsula.The Anzac Corps, the 29th British
Territorial Infantry Division, the 1st Royal Naval Infantry Division,
the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and the French 1st Infantry Division
were to take part in this action. These forces were to be split
into two groups, the first group was to seize the Seddulbahir area
and open the Straits whilst the second was to land in the Kabatepe
region, seize the Conkbayir area and obstruct the Turkish Forces
moving down from the north.The Commander of the Ottoman 5th Army
had evaluated the defense of the Gallipoli peninsula as of secondary
importance. Thus out of six divisions he allocated two divisions
and one cavalry brigade to the defense of the Gulf of Saros, two
divisions to the defense of the area between Anafartalar and Seddulbahir
and the remaining two divisions to the defense of the Asian coast.Of
the two divisions deployed on the Gallipoli peninsula one was the
19th division which served as the Chief of Command Reserve Force
in Bigali. The commander of this brigade was Mustafa Kemal.At the
beginning of the 1st WW, Staff Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal
was Military Attaché in Sofia. Preferring to participate personally
in the struggle of his county against invading super powers of the
time, rather than watching from the sidelines, he requested active
military duty from the Chief of Staff. Upon his insistence, he was
appointed to the 19th Divisional Command founded in Tekirdag on
1st February 1915.In less than one month, Mustafa Kemal had the
division prepared for war. On 25th February, his division was at
Eceabat and ready for combat.
The Seddulbahir Battles
At
dawn on the 25th April, the Seddulbahir coast was seen to be surrounded
by several ships and landing crafts. At 5.30 am. a hellish fire
was opened from the allied warships. Bombardment from the sea held
the tip of the peninsula under fire from three sides. The 29th British
Infantry Division attempted to move into the land. The defending
forces broke the first wave of the invading forces with success.
Then, with the reinforcements which were later brought in, the operation
was extended on the land without much success.The 1st., 2nd., and
3rd Battles of Kirte and Kerevizdere continued from 25th April until
the end of May when it turned into chronic local clashes.In June
1915 the battle again intensified and after the bloody Zigindere
Battles which began on the 28th June continued for eight days.
On
18th March 1915, at the beginning of the Dardanelles campaign, the
commander of the Allied fleet, Admiral de Robeck divided the fleet
into three sections. The first section entered the straits at 10.30
am. and penetrated as far as the row of mines. The Intepe batteries
started a heavy fire.The Intepe, Erenkoy and Tengertepe batteries
intensified their fire and a fierce bombardment continued for three
hours. In the afternoon Admiral de Robeck withdrew his ships in
the third section and threw forward six warships waiting in the
rear. During the withdrawal, one of the ships hit a mine and sunk
after a terrible explosion.The naval battle continued in all its
intensity for seven hours. In the face of the dogged resistance
of the Turkish Straits Defense, Admiral de Robeck decided that nothing
further could be done that day. During this operation three ships
from the Allied Fleet had been sunk and three badly damaged. It
was under these circumstances that Admiral de Robeck, at 17.30 brought
the days' operation to a close with the order, "All ships,
general withdrawal." 
In
spite of all the efforts in the Dardenelles from 19th February to
18th March nothing had been gained by the Allied Forces. Now, alongside
the Naval bombardments and amphibious operation was under consideration
in order to capture the peninsula.The Anzac Corps, the 29th British
Territorial Infantry Division, the 1st Royal Naval Infantry Division,
the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and the French 1st Infantry Division
were to take part in this action. These forces were to be split
into two groups, the first group was to seize the Seddulbahir area
and open the Straits whilst the second was to land in the Kabatepe
region, seize the Conkbayir area and obstruct the Turkish Forces
moving down from the north.The Commander of the Ottoman 5th Army
had evaluated the defense of the Gallipoli peninsula as of secondary
importance. Thus out of six divisions he allocated two divisions
and one cavalry brigade to the defense of the Gulf of Saros, two
divisions to the defense of the area between Anafartalar and Seddulbahir
and the remaining two divisions to the defense of the Asian coast.Of
the two divisions deployed on the Gallipoli peninsula one was the
19th division which served as the Chief of Command Reserve Force
in Bigali. The commander of this brigade was Mustafa Kemal.At the
beginning of the 1st WW, Staff Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal
was Military Attaché in Sofia. Preferring to participate personally
in the struggle of his county against invading super powers of the
time, rather than watching from the sidelines, he requested active
military duty from the Chief of Staff. Upon his insistence, he was
appointed to the 19th Divisional Command founded in Tekirdag on
1st February 1915.In less than one month, Mustafa Kemal had the
division prepared for war. On 25th February, his division was at
Eceabat and ready for combat.
At
dawn on the 25th April, the Seddulbahir coast was seen to be surrounded
by several ships and landing crafts. At 5.30 am. a hellish fire
was opened from the allied warships. Bombardment from the sea held
the tip of the peninsula under fire from three sides. The 29th British
Infantry Division attempted to move into the land. The defending
forces broke the first wave of the invading forces with success.
Then, with the reinforcements which were later brought in, the operation
was extended on the land without much success.The 1st., 2nd., and
3rd Battles of Kirte and Kerevizdere continued from 25th April until
the end of May when it turned into chronic local clashes.In June
1915 the battle again intensified and after the bloody Zigindere
Battles which began on the 28th June continued for eight days.