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Introduction
Helles
Cape Helles stands at the south-westernmost tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. To the north is W Beach, with Tekke Burnu beyond; to the east is V Beach, embraced by Fort No.1 and the Old Fort of Sedd el Bahr. Immediately inland from Cape Helles itself stand the twin peaks of Hill 138 and Guezji Baba, with Hill 114 above W Beach and Hill 141 above V Beach. It was this area and these features that formed the focal point of the 29th Division's landings at Helles on 25 April.
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The Helles Memorial,
September 2000
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(IWM: Q 44402: Sedd el Bahr and the 'River Clyde'
from the air)
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The 29th Division, containing the last battalion's of Britain's pre-war regular army, was ordered to land at Helles and capture the peak of Achi Baba (800 feet), which stood six miles inland, as an initial step towards the campaign's main objective of the Kilid Bahr Plateau. A Covering Force of the 86th Brigade was to land on three beaches around Cape Helles and Tekke Burnu lettered V, W and X. Two battalions of the 87th Brigade, together with the Plymouth Battalion RMLI, were to protect the operation's flanks by landing at two additional points, S Beach, in the corner of Morto Bay, and Y Beach, along the Aegean coast opposite the village of Krithia. Although the two flank landings were initially successful, they were not exploited and, faced by a determined Turkish defence, the main landings around Cape Helles made only slow progress. It was not until the end of 26 April that a continuous line was established from X Beach to Morto Bay, but by then Y Beach had been abandoned.
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| After the French Division had been moved across the Dardanelles entrance as planned from its temporary landing at Kum Kale, on 28 April a concerted effort was made to advance towards Achi Baba in the First Battle of Krithia. A week later, in the Second Battle of Krithia (6-8 May), a series of attacks were made on the scattered Turkish lines which still lay some distance in front of the village. But little significant progress was made. On 4 June, in the Third Battle of Krithia, a general attack was made along the British and French line with the same frustrating results. Three more concentrated actions against the Kereves Dere (21 June), Gully Ravine (28 June) and Achi Baba Nullah (12-13 July) were more successful. Yet both Krithia and Achi Baba remained firmly in Turkish hands. On 6 August a number of minor operations were
undertaken in support of the assault on Sari Bair and the new landing at Suvla Bay. They proved to be the last serious attacks undertaken at
Helles.
As a position, by the middle of May once the line had been advanced away from the immediate area of the beaches, Helles held a number of advantages over Anzac. It was slightly more open, protected on three sides by the sea and had a few places, such as Gully Beach and inside Gully Ravine, that lay out of direct shell and rifle fire. Yet the characteristic conditions of Gallipoli - disease, poor food, decomposing bodies, claustrophobic, overlooked positions - still prevailed. On 9 January 1916, despite having the full force of the Turkish forces on the Peninsula set against it, the position at Cape Helles was finally evacuated.
Nigel Steel (IWM)
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