Gallipoli, North Anzac Sector, Sandbag Ridge

[steve fuller]

Hi all

Theres 2 areas Im trying to pinpoint, and I wandered if I could lay out what Ive got so far and see if anyone can put me out of my misery . Does anyone know:

1.The 'cliff named after Ltnt Woodhouse' (below)? I wander if the info he found started off the dispute for Bulger Bluff. Anyone know about this place pse?

2. 'Bulger Bluff'; its mentioned in the 5th Beds diaries for Gallipoli (below). Cant find any firm reference to it in texts Ive seen to date, but it seems to have been a disputed area for some reason. I quote:

October 1915

24th. Lt Woodhouse went to a cliff named after him and gained some very useful information. Enemy post on Bulger Bluff taken, lost and retaken many times over the next 2 days ... the bloodiest hand to hand combat seen to that point.

The Bedfords were swapping with the 1/11th Londons between 'Front Line, opposite Sandbag Ridge' and 'Finsbury Vale' (a second line trench by this time) from Sept to Dec.

Im looking at a map of the sector (attached);

1. Between the lines there seems to be a small, stand alone trench 'system', on the top of a hill by the looks of the contours. Its where 'Sandbag Ridge Gap' on the Allied side & a 'V' shaped Turkish trench face each other. Could that be it?

2. The Warwick Castle, Franklins Post area has a fair distance between the trench lines. Could it be within that area of No Mans Land?

Any clues would be appreciated

Cheers

Steve

[MartinWills]

Steve,

The only thing I can add is that the area you mention is extremely inhospitable to the walker let alone those intent on constructing a trench system. It's literally steep sided gullies and knife edge ridges which probably dicatated the layout of the trenches and the gaps.

Martin

[Bryn]

Taken this time in 2003; looking north-east from Cheshire Ridge.

[steve fuller]

Cheers guys

I saw the 5th Beds diary last week in Bedford archives and it shed a little more light than Mr Westlakes book.

Bulgar Bluff was a 'Turkish Outpost' in No Mans Land that the Beds raided regularly over a 2 week period. They sent parties out at night to dispute the post, as it seems to have had an enfilade position into their trenches. I reckon my man was wounded there during the hand to hand fighting, but cant 'prove' it yet.

Thanks again guys, Ill keep digging

Steve