Gallipoli

The Dardanelles Campaign

Gallipoli tour - scene of one of the great Allied failures of the First World War. In attempting to take Turkey out of the war, the assault on the Dardanelles ended in disastrous failure following the Gallipoli campaign that lasted from April 1915 to January 1916. The Gallipoli campaign saw some 13 British and Empire divisions involved in a struggle against 20 Turkish divisions, with a total cost of 500,000 casualties.

Our five-day Gallipoli battlefield tour will visit and examine the main aspects of the Gallipoli campaign. A Gallipoli tour looking at the naval assault, the problems of landing against defended beaches at Cape Helles, the command, control and communication issues, the miracle that was ANZAC, the Turkish perspective, the conditions at Gallipoli, the Suvla Bay fiasco and discuss whether Gallipoli was all worthwhile.

"I think it is folly to pour more troops and ammunition down the Dardanelles sink".

Earl Haig

Day 1.

A mid-morning flight from London sees our Gallipoli battlefield tour arrive in Istanbul late afternoon. After checking in to our hotel for one night we start our Gallipoli tour with a boat trip through the Bosporus Straits, the ultimate objective of the Allied campaign, followed by dinner overlooking the waterfront.

Day 2.

Our Gallipoli battlefield tour makes a fairly early start so that we can arrive at Eceabat in time for lunch. In the afternoon we once again test our sea legs as we sail through the Dardanelle Straits to discuss the ill considered naval action of March 1915 and view the Gallipoli landing beaches from the sea. Disembarking at Canakkale we check in to our hotel for three nights followed by dinner at one of the harbour side restaurants.

"We were absolutely mad to embark on the infernal Dardanelles expedition".

Sir John French

Day 3.

This morning our Gallipoli battlefield tour visits the 25th April landing beaches – V Beach and SS River Clyde, W Beach and the Lancashire Fusiliers' "six VCs before breakfast", Y Beach and the missed exploitation. The museum at Gaba Tepe and Anzac Cove. Climb up to Plugge's Plateau, scene of fierce fighting, with its overview of Anzac Cove and key features such as Razor Back and Shrapnel Valley. On to Lone Pine, where seven VCs were won, and tour many of the front-line Anzac positions, such as Johnstone's Jolly and Quinn's Post. Our Gallipoli battlefield tour visits the important sites of the August offensive such Sari Bair, Walker's Ridge, the Ghurkhas battle for Hill 'Q' and the Nek, the site of the ill-fated attack of the Australian Light Horse, immortalised in the film 'Gallipoli'. Return to hotel.

Day 4.

Our Gallipoli tour drives to beautiful Suvla Bay and examines the landings of August 6th 1915 at Nibrunesi Point and the baptism of fire for the Kitchener battalions such as the 6th Green Howards and the King's Sandringham Company. Follow the failed attempt to break out at Hill 10, Chocolate Hill and Green Hill and the subsequent struggle for Scimitar Hill. Finally our Gallipoli tour examines one of the most successful phases of the operation, the evacuation at Suvla Bay. Return to hotel.

Day 5.

An early departure from Canakkale in order to catch our afternoon flight from Istanbul to London.