An ID tag from a Gallipoli casualty

[Tony]

1914 pattern fibre ID tag belonging to Pte. W. Beveridge, a Gallipoli casualty

2777 Pte. William Beveridge of the 7th Royal Scots entered theatre on 3.9.15; he was killed in action 13 days later on 16.9.15 at the age of 18 and is buried at the Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Turkey.

Born in Glimerton, Midlothian he was the son of Margaret Beveridge, of 24, Adams Row, Millerhill, Dalkeith, Scotland.

Only one other member of the Royal Scots was killed that day, he was 1772 Pte. William George Smeaton Graigie of the 4th Royal Scots from Ann Terrace, Abbeyhill in Edinburgh, he was aged 21.

A total of 606 ORs from the Royal Scots died as a result of operations in Gallipoli, of those men, 495 are listed as killed in action, 102 are listed as died of wounds and 9 died, probably from disease.

We all know the campaign in Gallipoli was a bit of a disaster, mainly because the ability of the Turkish army was greatly underestimated and therefore thwarting a speedy conclusion. The only success at Gallipoli was the evacuation later in the year.

The idea behind the Dardanelles campaign was that Germany would have to come to the assistance of the underrated Turkish army, this third front would leave either the German lines on the western or eastern fronts under strength, giving the allies a better chance to break through.

February 19th 1915

The RN and French navy attacked Turkish positions in the Dardanelles. The naval attack wasn't a success and it was realised that military support was necessary. British and ANZAC troops already in Egypt were put on alert. The MEF contained 70,000 men from Britain, Australia and New Zealand as well as troops from France.

The 29th Division would land on five small beaches at the southern end of the peninsula, the Anzacs would land further north just by Gaba Tepe and the French were to land at Kum Kale to protect the 29th Division. The Turks, now under the command of Otto Liman von Sanders had about 62,000 fighting troops.

25th April 1915

All went well for the British at 3 of their landing beaches at Cape Helles as they were unopposed, at another beach they defeated Turkish resistance but the fifth at Sedd-el-Bahr was a disaster. Turkish machine gunners were well dug-in and many British troops didn't even make it to the shore.

The Anzacs were faced with steep cliffs to climb at Anzac Cove which, being a small beach, becoming quickly overcrowded. The Turks in this area were led by Colonel Mustafa Kemel (founder of the new Turkish State) who eventually managed to push back the Anzac advance. Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood who commanded the Anzacs asked for permission to withdraw his troops but this was refused.

By May, the British had lost 20,000 men at Helles, between four and six thousand of them had been killed. The casualty clearing stations and medical services in general couldn't cope and as soon as trench warfare set in, the diseases that come with poor sanitary conditions, corpses, heat and flies quickly followed.

24th of May

A cease fire was agreed allowing for the removal the masses of bodies from no mans land.

An attack on Sulva Bay and the landing of 63,000 allied troops was ordered for 6th August only this time it was kept secret. The idea was to take the bay area and link up with the Anzacs at Anzac Cove. The Anzacs were having problems and couldn't break out of the cove, the British were pushed back by Mustafa Kemel who retook Sulva by the 10th of August.

3rd September 1915

William Beveridge of the 7th Royal Scots arrives at Gallipoli.

16th September 1915 his war is over, he was killed in action and is buried at Redoubt Cemetery, Helles.

The evacuation of the peninsula was now being planned, Anzac Cove and Sulva Bay were successfully evacuated on the 19th and 20th of December 1915, Helles was successfully evacuated on the 8th and 9th of January.

Losses from the Dardenelles

Australia, killed 8,709, wounded 19,441, total 28,150

France (roughly), killed 10,000, wounded 17,000, total 27,000

Great Britain, killed 21,225, wounded 52,230, total 73,485

India ,killed 1,358, wounded 3,421, total 4,779

Newfoundland ,killed 49, wounded 93, total 142

New Zealand, killed 2,701, wounded 4,852, total 7,553

Allies total, killed 44,072, wounded 97,037, total 141,109

Turkey (roughly) killed 87,000, wounded 165,000, total 252,000

Redoubt cemetery

William and George are buried in Redoubt cemetery was begun by the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade in May 1915 and continued in use until the evacuation. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when the battlefields were cleared and graves were brought in from small cemeteries in the vicinity. There are now 2,027 servicemen of the Great War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,393 of the burials are unidentified.

Tony

Edited March 2, 2006 by Tony

[Tosun Saral]

Dear Tony, Please visit my Gallipoli page:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/674f5/#TL

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/7d696/1c1cb1/

If you enter the Strait of Dardanelles from Aegean Sea you will see on the right the Hills of Canakkale and on the left the Gallipoli Peninsula. On the Hills of Canakkale you will notice a warning in capital letters colored with white chalk " Halt Traveller!" This warns all people who desires to enter the Dardanelles without permission. In March 18th 1915 British and French tried to enter the dardanelles without permission and paid their desire with blood and heavy losses. After that bloody fight a Turkish poet called Necmettin Halil Onan wrote the following poem. The poem is translated into English by Tanwir Wasti. published by the March 18th University Magazine 2003

To a Traveller

Stop wayfarer ! Unbeknownst to you this ground

You come and tread on, is where an epoch lies;

Bend down and lend your ear, for this silent mound

Is the place where the heart of a nation sighs

To the left of this deserted shadeless lane

The Anatolian slope now observe you well;

For liberty and honor, it is, in pain,

Where wounded Mehmet (x) laid down his and fell

This very mound, when violently shhok the land,

When the last bit of earth passed from hand to hand,

And when Mehmet drowned the enemy in flood,

Is the spot where he added his own pure blood.

Think, the consecrated blood and flesh and bone

That make up this mould, is where a whole nation,

After a harsh and pitiless war, alone,

Tasted the joyje of freedom with elation.

(x) Mehmet is the commen name given to Turkish Soldier.

[color=#000000]Here is the words of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk adressedin 1934 to those who lost their lives in Gallipoli

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now living in the soil of a friendly country, therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe your tears, your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."

Visit Gallipoli pages:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middl...-Gallipoli.html

[peter monahan]

Tosun

Lovely pictures! Glad to see the ANZACs still honour their dead with visits: it can't be easy or cheap.

Attaturk's words are particularly appropriate as Remembrance Day (Nov. 11 here) approaches.

Peter

[Tony]

Hello Tosun,

Maybe I'll make it there one day.

Tony