Strange features between Skew Bridge and Backhouse Post

[Sepoy]

I have just spent the evening studying a trench map of Cape Helles comparing it with Google earth images of the same area, and a number of positions shown on the map have left me puzzled.

What are these series of positions and what were they used for????

Sepoy

[michaeldr]

Is there a Sevki Pasha map which may show burials here?

There were burials at Backhouse Post which were later concentrated into Skew Bridge Cemetery

[michaeldr]

I'm looking at an IWM map titled

'Gallipoli-Cape Helles 1:10,000 compiled Jany.1924 by J B Ramsey, Capt. from 'Krithia' 1:20,000 and various trench diagrams, to show TRENCHES as at Evacuation. 8-1-1916'

This map is coloured to show trenches and the colour used indicates that these were British Trenches

If I'm not mistaken that's a pretty steep bank down to the nullah, so perhaps (stress that 'perhaps') these were forming-up trenches prior to the evac.?*

Just a guess though as I'm not sure what else they would have been useful for

I'll be interested to hear what others think on this

best regards

Michael

*edit to add: On Len Sellers' 'RND' tours there is a tradition of an evening walk recreating the evacuation march to V Beach – it really does not take very long to get there from Skew Bridge

Edited 22 May , 2013 by michaeldr

[Sepoy]

Studying a copy of the 8th Army Corps map MS29, used by General Asquith RND during the evacuation of Helles (from the WFA Maps), it shows the line of 52nd Division's retirement running by these strange trench positions but they are not marked as a rendezvous point.

I have attached a photograph showing 52nd Divisional personnel, attending a bombing school, sitting in a strange entrenchment. Is this an example of the entrenchments shown on the map??

Unfortunately, Michael, a frequently occurring medical problem is making it more and more unlikely that I will ever get to Gallipoli to inspect the area. Google Earth is not much help as the area appears to be wooded.

Sepoy

[michaeldr]

Sepoy,

CAVEAT - this is speculation on my part

Skew Bridge was one of the control points on the lines of evacuation to V Beach. If I remember correctly I think that the CO of the Nelson Battalion RND was i/c this point. All those retiring towards V Beach had to be counted through. So there is the possibility of a bottle neck

I have seen accounts of delays of between 45 mins and 2 hours, but always believed these to relate to waiting on the beach itself

If there was a bottle-neck at the Skew Bridge control point and a number of men were having to stand and wait there, then they would need protection in the event of enemy artillery fire falling on the road. A road is an easily recognised target for artillery and perhaps these trenches were to be used as protected places in the event of artillery fire falling on a large group of men waiting to go through the control point.

However, they could just as easily represent some training area as you have suggested. What we really need is to identify exactly when these trenches were actually dug.

If they were dug well before 8^th Jan 1916, then I need a different theory!

Take care

Michael

[Sepoy]

Michael

Further to your comments I have had a quick look through the WFA Gallipoli Map CD. These features are shown on a couple of undated maps, but they mainly appear on maps dated in Jan '16, so you are probably correct in your assumption that they were constructed for the evacuation.

It would be interesting to discover any written references to these trenches in Divisional/Brigade/Army War Diaries.

Cheers

Sepoy

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

Funny I.ve seen a simular trench (only smaller) but the same shape used as a company HQ while in the palestine desert.

The photo I have shows a group of Camel Corps officers using the centre mound of the trench as a table where they could place there maps or in the case of the photo the officers have set up a dining area for food.

S.B

[michaeldr]

I have attached a photograph showing 52nd Divisional personnel, attending a bombing school, sitting in a strange entrenchment. Is this an example of the entrenchments shown on the map??

Sepoy & Steve,

I've been away and off-line for a few days, so I am just catching-up here

I'm not at all sure that the trenches shown on the map are of a similar format to that shown in the photograph: I believe that map ones are probably just regular trenches.

I think that the pecked line, which may be mistaken for the bottom line of a 'U' shaped (on its side) trench, in fact relates not to the trenches, but to the track running along side the course of the nullah.

Regards

Michael

[michaeldr]

I'm not at all sure that the trenches shown on the map are of a similar format to that shown in the photograph: I believe that map ones are probably just regular trenches.

I think that the pecked line, which may be mistaken for the bottom line of a 'U' shaped (on its side) trench, in fact relates not to the trenches, but to the track running along side the course of the nullah.

A crop from the map (already mentioned in post No.3) probably gives a better illustration of the point I was trying to make above

regards

Michael