Campaigning In Gallipoli By Lieut-Colonel Cecil Allanson

[John W]

Allanson commanded the 6th Gurkha Rifles during the attack on Sari Bair at Gallipoli, where the Gurkhas captured the ridge but were forced to retire after coming under artillery fire, potentially by mistake from the British Navy

The published diary of Cecil Allanson is an interesting document not least because of when it was published in August 1916 just seven months after the evacuation. It was a bringing together of the diaries that he kept during the campaign, detailing not only what happened but also his thoughts and observations. It was also interesting to find that he got in to trouble for publishing it under the defence ofg the realm act.

Allanson's contemporary criticisms of Generals and their generalship in this diary will come as a surprise to many who believe that such criticism only occurs in later years. It is particularly interesting coming from a decorated Field Officer, and a professional soldier.

More details and information about where it is available from are at https://goslingpress.co.uk/campaingning-in-gallipoli/

[Crunchy]

Thank you for the heads up John.

The artillery fire the 6th Gurkhas came under on Hill Q was wrongly attributed to the Royal Navy. Allanson told the Dardanelles Committee that they were about 100 yards down the landward side when the shells landed. The flat trajectory of the naval guns meant the shells could not have landed there. In the fire plan the howitzers were told to lengthen their range to the far side of Hill Q after zero hour, and it appears the Gurkhas were hit by these rounds. We discuss this in our book The Artillery at Anzac: Adaptation,Innovation, and Education.

Regards

Chris