Captain N.D. Pringle C Company 6th East Yorks Suvla Bay

[Bennett]

Would appreciate assistance determining the location of ‘C’ Company 6th East Yorkshire Regiment, O.C.,  N.D. Pringle, during the early morning hours of August 9, 1915.

Multiple sources indicate that the 32nd Brigade ordered their battalions to consolidate at or near Sulajik Farm late on the night of August 8. The East Yorks were on or near Scimitar Hill. That is a rough walk even in daylight without an enemy present.

At 0330 Bde. orders were received to attack Tekke Tepe.  Soldiers were reported exhausted and dehydrated with clear directions lacking.

Company D with Lt. Colonel Moore left first passing Sulajik Farm on a northeasterly heading with instructions for the other three Coys to advance as soon as possible.

 My research indicates that the other Coys. were delayed owing lack of explicit instructions, confusion and severe exhaustion.  D Coy.  continued their advance up the slopes of Tekke Tepe and apparently never made connections with other brigade companies and the 9th West Yorks reportedly never reached the concentration point. The 6th EYR was on ‘A’ beach by the afternoon of August 9th.

Captain Elliot (POW 9/8) of D Coy reported in a post war document that while D company was being driven downhill by superior Turkish forces he observed the other companies under heavy attack in a trench?

Can anyone guess or estimate where C company may have been located during their advance and retreat. UWD’s indicate that companies became mixed as they retreated westward downhill. I have hopefully attached a brilliant map posted previously by on GWF, that gives a likely route and I am attempting to locate where along the advance line they may have been  located and how to correlate it with existing trench maps of the area.  Also, it seems to me that D company leaving Sulajik Farm on a course of 070 degrees northeast, would carry the attack too far to the right of Tekke Tepe?

[Howard]

Have a look at TrenchMapper as a starting point. Open it up, Right Click and choose Gallipoli.

Pan to Suvla bay area, Right Click and choose Centre Map here then Maps at Centre.

In the map list lower left there some had drawn maps- they are at the bottom of the list because they have no scale marked.

An example can be seen directly, Right Click, choose Map ID Jump and use id md_022248-10

Some of these have unit positions, HQs etc.

Howard

[michaeldr]

On 22/11/2022 at 16:07, Bennett said:

Can anyone guess or estimate where C company may have been located during their advance and retreat. UWD’s indicate that companies became mixed as they retreated westward downhill. I have hopefully attached a brilliant map posted previously by on GWF, that gives a likely route and I am attempting to locate where along the advance line they may have been  located and how to correlate it with existing trench maps of the area.  Also, it seems to me that D company leaving Sulajik Farm on a course of 070 degrees northeast, would carry the attack too far to the right of Tekke Tepe?

I'm sorry, but at this end I do not see any att map with your opening post/question. There is however a map with the Brigade WD - see WO95/4299 page 124 and this indicates the position of the 8th West Riding Regt, 6 East Yorkshire Regt and 67th Field Company RE "when the Turkish Attack Commenced on the morning of August 9, 1915"

NB: A] the brigade map puts them in advance of Sulajik Farm

and B] I would agree with you that the line of advance indicated appears to aim (ever so slightly) to the right of the indicated peak of Tekke Tepe

to assist and clarify I have added the map below

 

[michaeldr]

57 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

I would agree with you that the line of advance indicated appears to aim (ever so slightly) to the right of the indicated peak of Tekke Tepe

Re-reading the Brigade Dairy (page 24 of the pdf) the point which they were aiming for is given thusly:- At 4 am the 6th East Yorkshire Regt supported by by the 67th Field Company and 8th West Riding Regt marched off on a bearing of 70 º (magnetic) for Hill 278 (Square 119 O 7). 

This seems to match the line of advance indicated on the map

Edited 25 November , 2022 by michaeldr

[michaeldr]

 

23 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

marched off on a bearing of 70 º (magnetic) for Hill 278 (Square 119 O 7).

Position ref Square 119 O 7 is the red dot immdiately above the '7' in 278

I hope that this helps

Michael

[Bennett]

Thanks very much for your replies.

From personal accounts I have read it appears there was terrible confusion on a battalion and company level. Companies lost contact with each other; the terrain made it very difficult to remain in formation. The Turks were flanking them as they ascended, the men were hungry, thirsty and very exhausted and the rising Sun likely compounded these difficulties. I can only imagine the fear and anxiety these soldiers must have felt knowing they were about to die.

  My guess and it is a guess, is that the position of Company C was where you placed the blue arrow on the map. They certainly did not reach Tekhe Tepe.  Thanks again and best wishes, Ralph

[michaeldr]

There are further refs in the Brigade WD (WO95/4299 pages 26/7)

9^th 4am - The 6^th East Yorkshire followed by the 67^th Field Company and the 8^th West Riding Rgt moved off on the given bearing, all went well until they got into the broken ground North East of BAKA BABA about CHAKAL CHAIR 119 V, when they encountered a superior force of the enemy well posted – on the previous afternoon officer patrols of the 6^th East Yorkshire Regt had been up in the hills for which the force were now making, ???? a few snipers had seen no signs of the enemy in strength; it was therefore thought that this force would be able to reach and secure its objective without much opposition.

9^th 7am – The force was obliged to retire and gave ground slowly; fighting a rear guard action & retiring westwards. The 6^th East Yorkshire Regt and 67^th Field Company retired behind the line whilst the 8^th West

9^th 3.30pm - Riding Regt took up a position about 118 S; and finally at 3.30pm Capt KIDD who was in command of the battalion withdrew and placed himself on the left of the 34^th Inf. Brigade, whence he came under General SITWELL'S orders. The casualties during the day in both officers & men had been very heavy.