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Remembered Today:

Best Books for Gallipoli


Kai Mahoney

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Hi guys, could you recommend the best books for me to study regarding Gallipoli? I have Les Carlyon's book which I love reading and it has a comprehensive bibliography at the back, however I would appreciate personal recommendations for a good read, and which also contains good facts I can study.

I have ordered Ray Westlake's book on British Regiments in Gallipoli, not arrived yet though, I think I need that to get a grip with which badges I need for my Gallipoli collection, please appreciate I only get 35 bucks a week, so have to be careful with my scheckles and make only good second hand purchases.

Is Les's book reliable material? any major bloomers?

The library is great, but like I said I would like your opinions on which books have the best facts for study, and I will buy them, prefer to own it and read and read again.

How can I study the Turks and Germans? any suggestions?

Looking forward to hearing about your favourite books B)

Kai

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Kai

For a view of the Turkish side of the campaign might I suggest:

"Gallipoli the Turkish Story" by Kevin Fewster ,Vecahi Basarm and Hatice Basarm.

AND

" Gallipoli 1915 , Bloody Ridge (Lone Pine)"

Diary of

Lt. Mehmed Fasih 5th. Imperial Ottoman Army Gallipoli 1915

Peter

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Kai

You could add to that:

"Quinn's Post" by Peter Stanley

And also the Australian Official History is online free from the

Australian War Memorial website with two volumes dedicated to Anzac.

Peter

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Peter, thanks for your suggestions, I will go have a look on the net and see what comes up for those books, we are so lucky to have the AWM website, so much on it, I'm a bit limited on how much I can be on the net, use my sisters computer at home and if ever I'm punished :devilgrin: taking away the internet is the weapon of choice of my mums, next is taking away the Ipod :angry2:

I like to read a book on the bus into school.

Thanks again Peter

Kai

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You can add to those books already suggested by Peter

by having a look at this old thread which also covers your question

 

Good luck

Michael

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If you can find a copy of Gallipoli by Joe Murray you will have a fascinating personal account of the campaign. Dardanelles Patrol by Hunter & Shankland is also an excellent read covering part of the submarine campaign. Both can be found inexpensively (try the second hand book searches on the net) and would be perfect for the school bus.

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Kai

May I suggest "Gallipoli - 1915" by Tim Travers and "The Battle of Anzac Ridge" by Peter Williams."Defeat at Gallipoli" by Steel and Hart usually rates high with historians, as does Pugsley's "Gallipoli - The New Zealand Story". If you want something a little older try "The Dardenelles Expedition" by W D Puleston and "Gallipoli - The Fading Vision" by John North. The officials by Bean and Aspinal - Oglander are most peoples' primary sources. Bean can be overly detailed and protective of some people and incidents whilst Oglander on the other hand is an easier read but in the original draft was critical of the Australians and due to pressures by his peers subsequently softened before publication. My choice for a good grounding and general overview would be to go with Travers first.

Loneranger

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Kai

May I suggest "Gallipoli - 1915" by Tim Travers and "The Battle of Anzac Ridge" by Peter Williams."Defeat at Gallipoli" by Steel and Hart usually rates high with historians, as does Pugsley's "Gallipoli - The New Zealand Story". If you want something a little older try "The Dardenelles Expedition" by W D Puleston and "Gallipoli - The Fading Vision" by John North. The officials by Bean and Aspinal - Oglander are most peoples' primary sources. Bean can be overly detailed and protective of some people and incidents whilst Oglander on the other hand is an easier read but in the original draft was critical of the Australians and due to pressures by his peers subsequently softened before publication. My choice for a good grounding and general overview would be to go with Travers first.

Loneranger

Hi Kai

I suggest for modern day reading Tim Travers' book also - it is a ripper on a general full campaign viewpoint and at higher command levels, and he is unafraid to make critique based on excellent research from BOTH sides. LonerangerVC is right in his selections and is a published author in his own right, and his comprehensive knowledge of POW's in Asia in WWII is second to none. Also a very good hand on his new Gallipoli book on Lone Pine. May well put theboffins in official Canberra (Australian capital) military writing circles with "special" access to shame. Hope so!!! Very deserving ordinary fella with excellent knowledge.

If you want to know about the Aussies at Gallipoli, we can help with individual unit histories. Ron Austin has done more than anyone else I know in that regard and is also not fully acknowledged for his efforts. Has done a bucket load of unit histories!! Good luck with your studies!

Ian

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I would quickly like to say thanks for this great help of suggestions before jumping over to the thread linked above by Michael. I have written down the titles and authors. Tempting though it is to buy some cap badges right away, I feel it's better to buy some good books first, I think when I know a bit about what happened I really enjoy holding the badges more when I get them.

Many thanks again

Kai

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Ian, we replied at the same time, thanks for the offer to help, I am really grateful. Thanks so much.

I have read a good amount of library books on Kokoda and POW's of WW2 also, so I am so I feel very humble to be here in this company, I feel all I do is take just now, but in the future I will contribute more.

Kai

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Eric Erikson's book 'Gallipoli: The Ottoman Campaign' is a must-read on the Turko-German perspective. It will totally transform the way you read the other books recommended above.

Robert

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Interestingly I have just this minute been offered a copy of Erikson - so must dash to the second hand book dealer forthwith ..........

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Kai,

Welcome to the world of research and to expanding your knowledge, it can be a facsinating and interesting experience, but also tends to become a total obsession.

There have been excellent suggestions put forward to further reading on the Gallipoli campaign, all of which I would recommend, but as you have noted, you have Les Carlyon's "Gallipoli". I believe that book will give you the best insight into understanding what took place.

I would suggest that you read the work of C. E. W. Bean, "OFFICIAL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1914 - 18", Vol I & II, "The Story of ANZAC". In most respects all other works on the Gallipoli campaign from the Australian perspective have drawn upon Bean, whether heaverly, or to lesser extent.

There are numerous works covering Gallipoli, some, as those recommended, give a thorough understanding of the campaign, others only give a general coverage, but do in some cases add a little more information, while such works as "Gallipoli, the fatal shore" by Harvey Broadbent, & "Gallipoli" by Johnathan King and Michael Bowers have excellent photgraphic records of Gallipoli accompanying the text.

Depending upon how seriously you wish to go into reading up on Gallipoli, you may wish to go back to some of the earlier works, but again, here you must start with C. E. W. Bean.

Probably the book that revived interest in Gallipoli, and the 1st World War in general, was "The ANZACS" by Patsy Adam-Smith, the other being "The Broken Years" by Bill Gammage. Both these works are now a liitle dated, and suffer from the benifit of todays ability to more easily access the vast amount of documentation held by the various archives, but they are both still good reads.

My last two suggestions that I think you will enjoy reading, are the two books by John Hamilton, "Goodbye Cobber, God Bless You", the story of the 8th Light Horse at the charge at the Nek & "Gallipili Sniper", the story of Billy Sing.

You will also find the fascilities of this forum of great benefit, if as you further your reading you come across subjects that you would like to know more of, just use the search function of this forum. Failing that, just ask the question.

Remember, all of us have started out just as you are, and all of us are still learning, no matter how old, or well read, we are.

Jeff

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I have 20mins before bed, I would like to say thank you again for the advice and suggestions, so many books, but we are lucky to have them and I will one day own every one noted, watch this space!

Sincerest gratitude.

Kai

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Ah, no one has mentioned Gallipoli by R. Rhodes James, which still stands the test of time, in my view. Of personal accounts, Joseph Murray's 'Gallipoli as I saw it' is excellent. John Hargrave's The Suvla Bay Landing' is very critical and hard edged. Les Carlyon's book is good also.

Peter

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today I have managed to pick up 3 books from my favourite secondhand book shop

GOODBYE COBBER,GOD BLESS YOU by John Hamilton

GALLIPOLI by Eric Bush

GALLIPOLI ONE LONG GRAVE Time Life books (only $2)

Keep me busy for a while :whistle:

Thanks again to everyone for the booklist

Kai

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Kai

Glad to help.

It is up to young Australians like yourself to remember our sacrifice.

The book "Goodbye Cobber , God Bless You" are the words that Trooper Harold

Rush of the 10th. Light Horse said to his friend along side him before they

went over the top in the Charge at the Nek on August 7th. 1915

These words are also on his headstone in Walkers Ridge Cemetery at Anzac , Gallipoli.

Peter

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There are some good suggestions above and amongst them I would like to endorse the Tim Travers book. I have been fortunate to visit Gallipoli on several occasions and this is the book I read whenever I am going back again.

Its a great value for money, single volume history, that is easy to read and utilises material from the archives of all combatant nations involved, covering both the Dardanelles (the Narrows) and the Gallipoli (land) campaign.

Regards,

Jonathan S

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Alan Morehead "Galipoli"

The Ottoman Steam Navy 1828-1923"

Chatterton "Dardenells dilema"? (I think thats the title of his book on the campaign)

"Men of Galipoli"

The Big Gun Monitors"

"The naval War In the Meditarrainan" sic

British Battleships 1889-1904

"We Dive at Dawn"

"Flights and Fights"

All deal with this campaign

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Looks like one could have a library just made up of Gallipoli books :poppy:

Some interesting titles, in time I hope to have them all.

Thanks again to everyone

Kai

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G'day Kai,

I have read most of the suggested and there are a number of good suggestions. To gain knowledge read as much as possible, through purchasing or the library, interent or a friend. The more you read the more knowledge and understanding you'll gain.

If I was to recommend a book that detailed events I would recommend Robin Prior, Gallipoli, The End of the Myth. This is a very detailed and insightful book.

All the best Clarke

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Kai,

One I would recommend for your reading list (I noted on your other post that you have an interest in the Lancashire Fusiliers) is Geoffrey Moorhouse's "Hell's Foundations". I've seen old copies selling very cheaply here, particularly in paperback form.

I see you have found a copy of "Goodbye Cobber, God Bless You". I've just finished this book and think you will find it a good read, sad in parts.

Scott

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Anyone read Robin Prior's Gallipoli: the end of the myth (Yale University Press / University of New South Wales Press, 2009) ?

He was "plugging" it at the just finished AWM conference on Gallipoli - the August Battles. Looked an interesting book - and his are usually not dull by any means.

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