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Churchill Confiscates 2 Turkish Battleships
On the 3rd of August, 1914, Britain's Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, confiscated 2 Turkish battleships being built in ports in the UK.
This is a picture of the HMS Erin - one of the battleships confiscated by Churchill. -
Russia Declares War on Turkey
Russia declared war on Germany and all its allies - encompassing Turkey (The Ottoman Empire).
This is a picture of the Russian flag in the shape of Russia. -
Britain Declares War on Turkey
Britain declares war on Germany and all its allies - including Turkey.
This is a newspaper article from World War 1, which clearly says "Britain Declares War". -
France Declares War on Turkey
France declares war on Germany and all its allies - therefore declaring war on Turkey.
This is a picture of the French flag in the shape of France. -
Australian and New Zealand Troops are brought together to form ANZAC
Major General Sir William Birdwood took charge of the Australian and New Zealand units and formed them into an army corps of 3 divisions. 1st Australian Division, New Zealand and Australian Division and a Mounted Division. They became known as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)
This is a picture of ANZAC troops training in Mudros, Greece. They are preparing for their landing in Turkey. -
Plans to attack the Dardanelles are Approved by the British War Council
The British War Council decided that in order to take Constantinople (Later Istanbul) it would be necessary to take the Gallipoli Peninsula.
This is a picture of the Dardanelles and the naval plans. This shows how detailed many of the plans were. -
Anglo-French Fleet Attack the Forts at the Mouth of the Dardanellles
The British fleet attempted to break the Dardanelle defences, but were fought back by heavy fire from the Turkish forts stationed in the mouth of the Dardanelles.
This is a picture of a British Battleship. This is what the ships would have looked like that attacked the forts in the Dardanelles. -
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Second Attack on the Mouth of the Dardanelles
The second attack on the Dardanelles was more successful, as the troops got through the Turkish defences and put many Turkish guns out of action. Troops were finally able to land on Turkish shores. -
Main Attack is Launched on the Dardanelles
British ships protected by other ships attacked the forts in the mouth of the Dardanelles. The attack was strong, however was not successful. 3 British battleships were sunk and more than 700 men (on the side of The Allies) died. However, the Turkish troops had almost run out of ammunition and were fearful of another attack from the British the next day. However, the British did not attack again.
This is a picture of a British Battleship sailing near the Dardanelles. -
The ANZAC's land just north of Kaba Tepe
At dawn, the ANZAC's landed just north of Kaba Tepe - later known as Anzac cove. The plan was that the soldiers would move up the beach under the cover of darkness and take Hill 971, then proceed to take Mal Tepe. Once they had taken enough land, they would go help the British troops who were fighting on the other side of the Dardanelles at Kilitbahir.
This is a picture a re-enactment of the ANZAC troops landing at Gallipoli. -
The British 29th Division and Parts of the Royal Naval Division Land at Cape Helles
British troops attempted to invade the Gallipoli peninsula, but became trapped in two small areas of land, at the tip of Cape Helles. They suffered heavy casualties, but were later aided by the French who came from Kum Kale.
This is a picture of a ship from the 29th British Division. It was run ashore in order to help the troops fight against the Turkish soldiers. -
French Troops Land at Kum Kale as a Diversion
From 4:30am to 6:30am, the French forces advanced on the Turkish mainland at Kum Kale, where the French successfully got ashore. They held Kum Kale until the 27th of April, when they evacuated to take up other positions at Helles (Where the British line was held).
This is a picture of French troops who were wounded at Kum Kale and so taken to safer ground. -
The First Battle of Krithia
This was the first attack bythe Allies on Turkish troops. Naval ships attacked at 8am. The plan was too complicated for troops and was not communicated well, so it failed. However, it was the first realisation for the Allies that Turkey would put up a fight against them, rather than be easily beaten, and that Turkey's difficult and confusing terrain could potentially pose a problem for any planned attacks. By 6pm that night, the attack was called off.
This is a picture of the Krithia Area. -
The Second Battle of Kithria
The Second Battle of Krithia went exactly the same way as the first did - same plan, gained no land, and a third of men who were part of the assault were injured or killed. It was a pointless battle.
This is a picture of the Helles War Zone. This is the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula, that the Allies were so desperate to take. -
The ANZACs and the Turkish Soldiers Make a Truce so that they can Bury their Dead
ANZAC troops and Turkish troops both agreed to a ceasefire so that they would have time to bury their dead and give medical attention to their wounded.
This is a picture of Major Kemal Ohri being led through the ANZAC lines blindfolded in order to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire with Lieutenant General Sir William Riddell Birdwood. -
The Third Battle of Krithia
The Third Battle of Krithia was the Allies final shot at taking the Gallipoli peninsula. However, the plan - once again - did not work, and it resulted in heavy losses for the Allies.
This is a medal presented to Fred Eastwood, who died in battle in the Third Battle of Krithia. -
ANZAC Troops Launch an Attack at Lone Pine as a Diversion
The Battle of Lone Pine began at 5:30pm on the 6th of August. The aim was to distract attention from the major battle (Chunuk Bair) which was the goal of the August Attacks. The Australian troops jumped out of their trenches and rushed forwards, and were met quickly by the Turkish troops.
This is a picture of Lone Pine Cemetery, which was where the battle was fought, and later where the soldiers were buried. -
Battle of the Nek
The Battle of the Nek took place on the 7th of August, and was an attempt to take a thin strip of land called 'The Nek'. Mounted Troops jumped out of the trenches but were shot down almost immediately by the Turkish soliders. There was then a second wave, most of whom died like the first. Then the third. And then the fourth. Many men died.
This is a picture of the dismounted horsemen who were attempting to take The Nek. -
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Sever Rain and Blizzards Hit Gallipoli
Severe rain and blizzards caused more than 280 deaths and over 16,000 cases of frostbite. Many men drowned in the trenches, and the Allies are shocked by what happened. This led to the evacuation of all troops from Gallipoli. -
The British Cabinet Orders the Evacuation of all Troops from Gallipoli
More than 93,000 troops, 200 guns and 5000 animals as well as vast quantities of supplies and ammunition had to be evacuated from Gallipoli. The evacuation was planned to take place under the cover of night.
This is a diagram of the Gallipoli Peninsula. This picture was studied in great detail while the coucil was deciding whether or not to evacuate troops. -
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Evacuation of Men from Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay
Great lengths were gone to in order to evacuate the troops from Gallipoli. Under the cover of night, the troops gathered in boats along the coast, and fled the nightmare that had lasted for 8 long months. ANZAC troops were evacuated between the 19th and 20th of December, and the final British troops left on the 8th of January.
