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Remembered Today:

Women on Gallipoli


michaeldr

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Those who were lucky enough to attend the recent Gallipoli Association Conference heard [to quote Peter Biles]

“Brian Cleary who is currently writing a book on the extraordinary lives of Dick and Lilian Doughty-Wylie. Lt Col Wylie VC, a career soldier, was killed on April 26, 1915, the second day of the Landings. Brian was set to reveal his new research on “The Mystery Woman of Gallipoli”. Who was it who visited Dick’s grave on the Peninsula towards the end of November 1915, thus becoming the only woman ever to land at Gallipoli during the campaign? Was it Dick’s widow, Lily, or the woman with whom he had been having a passionate affair, the renowned archaeologist and explorer, Gertrude Bell? Brian’s exhaustive research into this tale of intrigue is not yet complete, with archive material in France still to be examined, but his conclusion is that Lily Doughty-Wylie was indeed “the mystery woman”. She was in the area at the right time, whereas there is no contemporary evidence that Gertrude Bell was ever there.”

 

However, that looks at the issue of the only woman ever to land at Gallipoli during the campaign exclusively from the allied perspective

 

Izzettin Calislar in his diary entry for 21 August 1915, records:

“In the evening, a lady reporter from the Polish newspapers came. Dined with us. Went back by car. European women come even to the war front for a purpose.”

[see https://www.defence.gov.au/adc/adfj/Documents/issue_81/81_1990_Mar_Apr.pdf ]

 

Who was this lady newspaper reporter?

Was she in fact Polish??

Or was it perhaps Thea von Puttkamer ???

Or.......????

 

All ideas, info and links welcomed with grateful thanks

 

regards

Michael

Edited by michaeldr
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Hello Michael.

 

The woman you're looking for is Wanda Zembrzuska, an ethnic Polish from Sofia/Bulgaria. Her memoir was recently published in Turkish with the title "Our Correspondent Reports from the Gallipoli Front! Meeting with Colonel Mustafa Kemal Bey, August 1915" (See: https://www.abebooks.com/9786051051925/Muhabirimiz-Çanakkale-Cephesinden-Bildiriyor-Wanda-6051051929/plp

 

She met Col. Mustafa Kemal at Anafartalar Group HQ during the Battle of Scimitar Hill, as mentioned by Izzettin, CoS of M. Kemal. She was even allowed to meet British prisoners (apparently those who were captured during the fighting on that day), but I don't know if she mentioned about it in her memoir/letters. I can add more details here when I get the book.

 

Edit: I've just found some documents (12 pages in total - dated 19 August 1915) in Turkish State Archives (https://katalog.devletarsivleri.gov.tr) about the permission given for her visit. Attached are the previews of those documents:

 

4.jpg.faaae82e8daf9e9d6e7eed9b93b9fb23.jpg

 

3.jpg.dba107254c2fc36c920eebf435e6789d.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by emrezmen
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Emre,

 

Many thanks indeed.

This photograph of Madam Wanda Zembrzuska was borrowed from https://bilimdili.com

156490546_WandaZembrzuska.jpg.9f7498535edfb06d4bde4211d5f3f9f2.jpg

I hope that you get the book alright and that you can tell us if she mentions the interviews with allied prisoners.

If you hear of an English edition of the book, then please let me know


Thanks again & best regards

Michael

Edited by michaeldr
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