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Age-18

49, Alsen Road, Finsbury Park

Gallipoli 1915

On 25 April, British, Australian and New Zealand forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsula. The plan was that these forces would soon defeat a demoralised Turkish army, knock Turkey out of the war, open up the Mediterranean to the Russian navy and threaten Austro-Hungary from the south. None of these things were achieved despite nine months of hard fighting in terrible conditions. It was a heroic failure.

By July, 1915, and after much fierce fighting, stalemate had set in at Gallipoli both at Cape Helles where the British and French had landed and at Anzac Cove where the Australian and New Zealand Corps were unable to break out of their beach head. Fresh troops were needed and they were on their way in the shape of four divisions from Britain and things were put on hold until they arrived.

The plan for August was for a landing at Suvla Bay to the north of Anzac Cove whilst at the same time, the ANZAC Corps, reinforced by some of the new British troops would effect a breakout from Anzac Cove and establish a line across the peninsula. Whilst this was going on the troops in the south at Helles would stage a number of diversionary attacks. But it all went horribly wrong and much of the reason for this can be explained by inadequate planning and leadership. Nobody seemed to know what they were supposed to be doing and Lieutenant-General Stopford, in charge of the Suvla landings was particularly out of his depth. The landings at Suvla failed to link up with the forces at Anzac and the breakout from there did not happen despite valiant efforts by all concerned. The loss of life on all fronts was again enormous. L.A. Carlyon’s excellent book “Gallipoli” gives a superb yet chilling account of the events.

10^th Division, including the 6^th Royal Irish Fusiliers battalion of 31 Brigade, landed at Suvla during the night of 6/7^th August and over the next few days were involved in the capture of the Chocolate Hills and the attack on Scimitar Hill. From 10^th-13^th August, 6^th Royal Irish Fusiliers were in reserve at Lala Baba at the end of which period they moved forward to support trenches at Karakol Dagh on the southern edge of Kiretch Tepe Sirt, the ridge of hills stretching along the northern side of Suvla Bay. During the night of 15/16th August they attacked in an attempt to capture The Pimple. Here they were in action all night during which the enemy counter-attacked with grenades and forced them 50 yards back.But they managed to hold on, despite heavy losses, until relieved later on 16^th August. Albert Dunford died from wounds on 16^th August.