Every year, we celebrate Anzac Day on 25 April. This is a day to commemorate all Australians who have served in wars, conflicts and peace operations. The date was selected in 1916 to recognise the day that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in what is today Türkiye. This landing was part of what is known as the Gallipoli Campaign, Australia's first major battle in the First World War.
The plan
Why Gallipoli?
By early 1915, the main fighting in the First World War was taking place along the Western Front. The front was a line of trenches running from the North Sea in Belgium to Switzerland. The front-line fighting was bloody, with the Allies and the Central Powers being in a stalemate. At the same time, Russian forces were fighting German and Austro-Hungarian troops along the Eastern Front.
In November 1914, Türkiye (then under the Ottoman Empire) joined the war on the side of the Germans. Turkish forces attacked Russia in January 1915. The Russians asked the United Kingdom and France for help to relieve the pressure the attacks put on their soldiers and supplies. In 1915, the only way to get supplies to Russia was by ship through the Dardanelles strait.
Figure 1: Map of the European Theatre during the First World War, 1915
First Lord of the British Admiralty (and future British prime minister) Winston Churchill and the Allied leaders proposed to open a third front in Europe. Their idea was to send a naval fleet through the Dardanelles to capture the Ottoman capital, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul).
The Allies believed that the third front would:
- lead to Türkiye's quick surrender
- open the shipping route to Russia
- encourage Italy, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria to enter the war on the Allied side, and thus threaten Austria-Hungary
- allow greater Allied pressure on the Eastern Front and help break the stalemate on the Western Front.
Figure 2: Map of the Gallipoli Campaign 1915-1916
Activity 1
Examine the map in Figure 1. Explain why it would be difficult for the British and the French to open the proposed third front.
Activity 2
Examine Figure 2. Describe the challenges that a naval attack would face sailing up the Dardanelles.
How did the Allies plan to take the Dardanelles?
A major naval attack took place on 18 March 1915.
British and French ships sailed into the narrow strait of the Dardanelles. However, due to sea mines and Turkish shell fire, the force could not advance and was forced to withdraw.
The naval plan had failed.
The Allies had to devise another plan to defeat the Ottomans. The new plan would involve Australian and New Zealand soldiers who were training in Egypt.
Activity 3
Following the failed naval attack, from the perspective of the Turkish forces, what would you now be expecting? What preparations would you make?
What was the Allies' new plan?
The Allies' new idea was to launch a ground invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by landing soldiers on the western side of the strait (see Figure 2). Soldiers would then move up the slopes and ridges of the peninsula and attack the Turkish defences along the strait from behind. This would then allow the warships to sail through the Dardanelles unopposed to Constantinople.
Activity 4
Watch BBC News drone footage of the terrain of the western side of the straits along Anzac Cove where the Anzacs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula.
Referring to the landscape in the video, Figure 3 and Figure 4, what challenges do you think this second plan would face? Copy and fill in Table 1 to complete your response.
Figure 3: A view of the ridges at Gallipoli. AWM G01810B
Figure 4: Members of the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment taking over new dugouts near No 1 Outpost, on the left of Walker's Ridge. AWM C02727
Describe the landscape of Anzac Cove | Explain the impact of the challenges on the Allies |
The landscape at Anzac Cove includes … | This will be a challenge for the Allies because … |
? | ? |
The Turkish had some key advantages over the Allies in the event of a ground invasion:
- The Allies had lost the element of surprise after their failed naval attack.
- Turkish forces were able to prepare to defend the peninsula with around 15,000 men in position and 10,000 more waiting as reinforcements.
- Turkish forces held all the high ground on the peninsula.
- The Turkish had artillery and machine guns in well-fortified trenches.
- The Turkish were fighting to defend their own empire, which motivated them further.
Activity 5
In many battles of the First World War, the defenders had the advantage over the attackers.
In a paragraph response, explain why the Anzacs faced major obstacles (not just the landscape) going into the Gallipoli Campaign.
In your response, refer to the landscape of the area and the Turkish advantages.
The landing
What happened on 25 April?
The Allies landed 4 main forces on the Gallipoli peninsula:
- Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (the Anzacs)
- British 29th Division
- French Oriental Expeditionary Corps
- British Royal Naval Division.
About 75,000 troops had to be transported to Gallipoli from Egypt via the nearby island of Lemnos where they were stationed.
As you can see in Figure 2, there were several landing points on the Gallipoli peninsula.
Figure 5: A lifeboat transporting members of the Australian 1st Divisional Signal Company towards Anzac Cove at 6 am on the day of the landing. AWM A02781
Figure 6: Soldiers and supplies at Anzac Cove, 1915. AWM A03050
On 25 April 1915, the Anzacs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula at Ari Burnu (present-day Anzac Cove).
They came in boats while it was dark, with about 40 men in each boat.
- The first Anzac troops ran ashore at 4:30 am, and Turkish forces fired small arms from the hills above the cove.
- As more Allied troops landed, they struggled to the shore, soaked as they waded through the water, and some drowned with the weight of their sodden uniforms and packs.
- By 8 am, some 8,000 Anzacs had landed but the Turkish forces had already begun sending reinforcements to the area.
- The Anzacs progressed up the steep slopes and ridges, and some gained parts of the high ground.
By the end of the day, however, the Anzacs were pushed back by the Turkish forces, losing the ground they had gained. The Anzacs became confined to an area approximately 2 km long and 1 km deep from the landing site. (See the shaded area labelled '25 April-August 1915' in Figure 2.) They had failed to achieve their objectives. They gained little more ground for the remainder of the campaign.
In total, 16,000 troops landed on the beach on the first day with over 2,000 casualties. A casualty includes dead, wounded and prisoners.
Major-General William Bridges, commander of the 1st Australian Division, and Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood, commander of ANZAC, recommended to the British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Ian Hamilton, that the Allied forces withdraw. Hamilton decided against the idea. He noted the news of HMAS AE2 submarine's success and told his men: 'You have got through the difficult business, now you have only to dig, dig, dig until you are safe.'
An attempt to enter the Dardanelles strait using submarines also occurred on the same day as the landing. The goal was to attack Turkish military transports. The Royal Australian Navy submarine, HMAS AE2, was the first to pass through the Dardanelles strait. Pursued by enemy vessels, it attacked Turkish shipping heading for the Gallipoli peninsula. The submarine was fired on when it surfaced on 30 April and the crew was captured.
What went wrong?
Figure 7: The position at Steele's Post, showing dugouts (shelters) on the seaward slopes held, Gallipoli, 3 May 1915. AWM G00942
Earlier historians argued that the Anzacs landed in the wrong place (Ari Burnu), 2 km north of Gaba Tepe. Some believed that this was due to strong currents. It is now generally viewed that this was not a factor in the Allies' failure to achieve their objectives on the first day.
Instead, it has been found that the exact landing site was not specified during planning and that the boats landed within the intended area.
Fortunately for the Allies, Ari Burnu was lightly defended compared to other sites on the peninsula.
Historians tend to agree that the failure of the landing was due to several factors:
- The advantageous position of the Turkish forces and their use of machine guns.
- The effective response of the Turkish defenders.
- The lack of artillery support by the Allied forces.
- The training did not prepare the Anzacs for the conditions.
The terrain and the 'wrong' landing site were not the reasons for failure on the first day.
Activity 6
Re-examine the map in Figure 2 that compares the first-day objective against the actual gains. What does this reveal about the success of the first day?
As the commander of the ANZAC, Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood, write a short letter to your superior, British Commander-in-Chief General Sir Ian Hamilton, explaining why you think the landings have failed on the first day.
Explain what happened and why.
Extension
Learn more about the landing at Anzac Cove to help with your response.
Consolidating and stalemate
Following the first day, the British and French also failed to achieve their objectives at the other landing sites on the peninsula.
Between 6 and 8 May, the Anzacs supported one of these attacks around Cape Helles in the Second Battle of Krithia. The attack failed and Australia had nearly 1,000 casualties.
May Offensive
On 19 May, Turkish forces launched a major counterattack along the Anzac lines involving some 42,000 soldiers. This attack failed to break the Anzac position, and about 3,000 Turkish troops were killed.
It was calculated that the Anzacs used more than 948,000 rounds of ammunition against the Turkish attackers between 3:30 am and midday! Some 160 Anzacs died that day with more than 460 wounded.
Figure 8: Trenches at Gallipoli showing Anzacs resting. AWM G01217
On 24 May, both sides agreed to an armistice (truce) for a few days. This allowed time to bury the dead and collect wounded soldiers from no-man's-land. The Turkish and Anzac troops smiled at each other and shared cigarettes as they worked.
Figure 9: A group of soldiers at a sandbagged post at Anzac Cove. AWM A03301
Figure 10: A Vickers machine-gun crew. AWM H14026
Activity 7
- What is an armistice and why do you think both sides agree to have one?
- Why do you think it would not be sensible to attack your opponent during an armistice?
- What does the behaviour of the Anzacs and Turkish during the armistice reveal about the soldiers involved in war?
Trench warfare conditions
From May through to July was a period of stalemate. Both sides settled into the monotony and harsh conditions of trench warfare.
- From mid-year, the weather was very hot.
- By October, the weather became colder with mud and ice.
- Flies and rats were common, and lice infected the troops' clothes.
- There was not enough fresh water.
- Toilets were open pits, and the water was often dirty.
- Infections such as diarrhoea, dysentery were common.
- Dead bodies lay out in the open in no-man's-land.
- Disease was the biggest killer of troops during this time.
- Sniper fire, grenades and shell explosions were a constant threat.
- Playing music, swimming, writing to loved ones and attending church services were common leisure activities between battles.
- Food was basic: tinned bully beef, hard dry biscuits and tinned jam.
- The mental strain of being in danger, witnessing death and being away from comforts and family took its toll on soldiers.
August Offensive
In August, the Allies planned an offensive – a series of attacks to break the stalemate.
The offensive involved several separate actions, including:
- The British (with some 300 Australians) landing north of Anzac Cove at Suvla Bay.
- The British, Anzacs and Indians attacking the high ground at Chunuk Bair and Hill 971.
- The Anzacs staging diversionary attacks at Lone Pine and the Nek.
Figure 11: A map of Gallipoli showing the locations of the separate actions during the August Offensive.
Lone Pine – 6 to 10 August 1915
Between 6 and 10 August, the Australians attacked Turkish trenches at Lone Pine, only 100 m in front of the Australian trench. In preparation for the attack, the Australians had dug several tunnels to within 40 m of the Turkish trenches. This would give them some protection by minimising the time in the open as they charged across no-man's-land. They also set 3 land mines that would explode at the start of the attack to provide some shelter in front of the Turkish line.
When the Australians charged, they found the Turkish trenches covered with pine logs. Some troops struggled to rip open entrances to the trenches, while under fire from the defenders within. With little room to use their rifles, fierce hand-to-hand fighting took place once inside. Spades were also used as weapons. The Australians took the line in the first few hours. Each side suffered around 2,500 casualties. Seven Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions at Lone Pine.
Figure 12: A diorama at the Australian War Memorial depicting the Battle of Lone Pine of 6 August 1915 during the August Offensive. Note the logged roofing of the trench with Turkish soldiers underneath. AWM ART41017
Figure 13: Australian troops relax inside a captured Turkish trench at Lone Pine. AWM G0112
Learn more about the Battle of Lone Pine.
Activity 8
In wars and conflicts, soldiers often face unexpected challenges. Looking at the Battle of Lone Pine, list the skills and personal qualities the Anzacs may have needed in combat. Copy and fill in the table below to complete your response.
Skills and qualities | Example from the Battle of Lone Pine |
? | ? |
The Nek – 7 August 1915
Figure 14: George Lambert, The charge of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at the Nek, 7 August 1915. (1924, oil on canvas, 179.5 x 333.2 cm x 10.5 cm). AWM ART07965.
The Nek was a narrow area of land on the peninsula about the size of 3 tennis courts. The Allies planned the attack to coincide with an attack by New Zealand troops at Chunuk Bair, which they were supposed to capture the night before. The soldiers of the Australian Light Horse (whose horses were in Egypt) would attack from the front. The New Zealanders would fire from behind. The attack was to start immediately after an artillery bombardment of the Turkish lines. The Australians planned to advance across a front of 80 m, in 4 waves each of 150 soldiers. They carried coloured marker flags to show when they captured a trench.
Everything went wrong.
- The New Zealanders were unsuccessful in their attempt to take Chunuk Bair.
- The artillery bombardment ended 7 minutes early, but the Australian soldiers waited until the set time before attacking.
- This delay allowed Turkish defenders to move into their firing positions.
- The Turkish shot down the first wave of attackers, including the 8th Light Horse Regiment commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander White.
- The Turkish also shot down the second wave of attackers.
- The 10th Light Horse regiment commander tried to cancel the third wave, but his superior officer claimed to have received reports of marker flags in the Turkish trench, indicating success. (Turkish records confirm that a few Australians made it into their trench and had marker flags with them.)
- The soldiers of the third wave were sent forward, expecting the worst fate.
- The whole attack was called off after the third wave, but poor communication meant that about 75 men of the fourth wave advanced and were also shot down.
There were more than 370 Australian casualties, and very few Turkish ones. In 1919, a Commonwealth burial party returned to the Nek and found the remains of 316 bodies. Only 5 could be identified.
While the British were able to secure the beach at Suvla Bay, overall, the August Offensive failed to achieve its key objectives. The stalemate continued.
Learn more about the Battle of the Nek.
Activity 9
Looking at what went wrong, what does the Battle of the Nek show about the difficulties in planning for and being in a battle during the First World War? Create some tips for preparing for a battle at that time.
End of the campaign
Leaving Gallipoli
In October 1915, the British replaced General Sir Ian Hamilton with Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Munro. Munro immediately proposed an evacuation from Gallipoli.
On 22 November, British officials agreed.
Between 15 and 20 December, 36,000 Anzac troops were quietly withdrawn from the peninsula. The Anzacs needed to leave secretly to avoid further Turkish attacks. The Anzacs devised ways to pretend that they were still there. One way they did that was by setting up rifles that would shoot without anybody being there. Buckets with water slowly dripping into them would, when filled, be heavy enough to pull the trigger.
Figure 15 shows how the device worked.
Figure 15: A delayed action device, commonly called a drip rifle, invented by Lance Corporal William Charles Scurry of the 7th Battalion, AIF. AWM G01291
Activity 10
What does the invention in reveal about the qualities of the Anzacs?
Read the online book, Resource: Stories of innovation, which might help with your answer.
The British and French forces remained at Cape Helles until 9 January 1916. The evacuation was a success. Very few Allied soldiers were wounded while they were leaving the Gallipoli peninsula.
After 8 months, the Gallipoli Campaign had ended in failure for the Allies.
Between the landing on 25 April and when the Anzacs and other Allies left (December 1915 to January 1916), thousands were killed and wounded. Many soldiers also became ill and died from the harsh conditions.
In wars and conflicts, the term 'casualty' refers to soldiers killed in combat, who die from wounds and disease, and those who are wounded.
A. Nations | B. Size of force | C. Killed or died of wounds or disease1 | D. Non-fatal wounded and sick | E. Total casualties (C + D) | F. % of forces that were casualties (E ÷ B) |
Ottoman Empire (Türkiye) | 500,000 | 76,346* | 213,308 | ? | ? |
Great Britain and British India | 348,000 | 25,175* | 48,517 | ? | ? |
France and French colonies | 79,000 | 9,000* | 16,000* | ? | ? |
Australia | 50,000 | 8,152* | 18,671* | ? | ? |
New Zealand | 8,500 | 2,576* | 4,752 | ? | ? |
* These numbers have been averaged from estimates provided across the sources.
Sources: Harvey Broadbent's Gallipoli. The Fatal Shore; CEW Bean's Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918; Robin Prior's Gallipoli. The End of the Myth; Christopher Pugsley's The Anzac Experience; Australian War Memorial Encyclopedia.
Activity 11
Table 3 provides estimates of the number of men who died or were wounded in the Gallipoli Campaign drawn from 5 sources.
Fill in the table by doing the following calculations:
- total casualties in Column E (add the values in Column C and Column D)
- percentage of the total involved who were casualties in Column F (E ÷ B).
What conclusions can you draw from the Column F about Australia and New Zealand's involvement in the Gallipoli Campaign compared to other nations?
How does this information help your understanding of the Gallipoli Campaign?
What you've learned
What do you know now? (knowledge)
Activity 12
Complete one of these 2 options.
1. Using the key dates throughout this workbook, create a timeline summary of the Gallipoli Campaign. In your own words, summarise each event by creating a table like the one below. The first one has been completed for you.
Date | Summary |
November 1914 | The Ottoman Empire joins the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary. |
Insert key date | Insert the key event … |
Insert key date | Insert the key event … |
2. Create a mind-map summary of the Gallipoli campaign. In your own words, summarise each phase of the campaign and remember to include the dates. Your headings could include: the plan, the landing at Anzac Cove, the April to July stalemate, the August Offensive, the evacuation.
What can you do with your new knowledge? (synthesis)
Activity 13
From the perspective of a soldier at Gallipoli, write a journal entry or letter home to loved ones.
In your response, you should:
- focus on a key event of the campaign or cover several events over time
- include details of the campaign
- describe the conditions you are experiencing.
Learn about daily life at Gallipoli to help with your response.
Extension
Find stories about Australians in wartime. Search under the conflict 'World War I' to research someone who served at Gallipoli to include in your response.
Activity 14
Create a newspaper or news article on an aspect of the Gallipoli Campaign. Select one or 2 stages of the campaign from the list below to write about in your article:
- the plan
- the landing
- the May Offensive
- the August Offensive
- the evacuation.
Extension
Find stories about Australians in wartime. Do a keyword search for 'Gallipoli' to find some primary sources to include in your article.
Activity 15
In groups, create a skit to present in front of the class on 2 aspects of the Gallipoli Campaign.
Select 2 of these stages of the Campaign to explore in your skit:
- the plan
- the landing
- the May Offensive
- the August Offensive
- the evacuation.
Your skit can be in the form of:
- a news report (with roving interviews)
- a reality TV show
- an interview
- your own idea.
You must write your skit as a script and include interviews with Anzacs and Turkish soldiers (you may want to visit one of their trenches).
You may even include time-travelling historians.
Present your skit live in front of your class or film it – or do a combination of both. You will be allowed to use the script as you present.
You may use props and a digital media app, for example, PowerPoint or a video application, as a backdrop as you present. Be creative!
Teacher notes
Learning intentions
This resource requires students to understand the purpose, key events, challenges and result of the Gallipoli Campaign.
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- explain and summarise the purpose, key events and result of the Gallipoli Campaign
- describe the challenges and conditions experienced during the Gallipoli Campaign
- synthesise the information into a creative or critical response.
Lesson resources
- The Anzacs at Gallipoli lesson
- Source analysis worksheets on the Gallipoli Campaign.
Teaching ideas
This lesson can be used as an online lesson for students to progress through, or you can download and print the worksheet (DOCX or PDF). Feel free to adapt the DOCX version to meet your student's needs.
Activities are embedded throughout the resource. This helps students chunk and consolidate their learning after each section. Students can complete the activities on devices or in workbooks.
Options for activities at the end of the resource give students choices when consolidating and synthesising their learning.
Tables with headings are included as suggestions.
QR codes to further reading on the Anzac Portal may be ideal as extension opportunities.
Use an image of the landscape of Gallipoli as an initial provocation. Ask the students what difficulties they would face attacking a place like this.
Australian Curriculum
Knowledge and understanding
Students learn about the places of significance where Australians fought, their perspectives and experiences, including the Gallipoli campaign, the Western Front and the Middle East (AC9HH9K09).
Students learn about the significant events and turning points of the war and the nature of warfare, including the Western Front Battle of the Somme and the Armistice (AC9HH9K10).
Teaching sensitivities
Teachers are advised to be sensitive to students' perspectives and emotions while using this resource. When working through the activities, teachers will need to consider their students' religious and cultural beliefs, any experiences of war or conflict, or parents serving in the defence forces. It is the responsibility of teachers to consider whether it is appropriate to use this resource with their students.
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.