Gallipoli

[joseph]

Hi,

At 0400 on the 9th August 1915 6th East Yorkshire Regiment were ordered to attack TEKE TEPE from a position east of Salt Lake near Sulva bay. Units of the battalion advanced nearly to the top, before, being ordered to withdraw. This would be the furthest any battalion advanced on the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli.

Regards Charles

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Charles,

There is already some info on this subject at :

Other theatres : Gallipoli : August 1915/British army reach TEKKE TEPE (?)

cheers

eric

[FGT]

At dawn on the 9th of August, 1915, the 6th Battalion of the East Yorkshire regiment received an order to attack the great hill that towers above Anafarta....The rampart of hills to the east of us was black against the chill, pale sky as we moved out across the grey flats that led up to the foot of Teke Tepe, towering up to nearly 1,000 feet ahead of us. And we came under fire from our right flank almost from the very start.

The foothills of the range were rough with boulders, and deep cut by rocky ravines. As we moved on and on, up and up, men got lost in the prickly scrub...and it became increasingly difficult to maintain any sort of formation. But the enemy's fire grew in volume as we mounted, poured into us at ever decreasing range from the right and from the front.....

About thirty of us reached the top of the hill, perhaps a few more. And when there were about twenty left we turned and went down again. WE HAD REACHED THE HIGHEST POINT AND THE FURTHEST POINT THAT BRITISH FORCES FROM SUVLA BAY WERE DESTINED TO REACH.But we naturally knew nothing of that.

Ref: John Still "A Prisoner In Turkey" The Bodley Head 1920

[joseph]

Hi,

Thanks Francis and Eric Im intrested to find out if anyone knows of a Battalion that got further inland. Not just at Suvla bay but anywhere on the peninsula.

Regards Charles

[steve fuller]

Cant speak with authority "Eastwards" but 3 come to mind along the Kiretch Tepe Sirt to the North of Suvla;

Sandringham Co of 5th Norfolks (cant say WHERE excactly they were found after the war myself, but someone would know ...). Didnt they break through 12th August & just keep going??

No. 1 Platoon A Co 5th Beds got to the north of the Kidney Hill summit & the CO's younger brother (along with his men) were wiped out to a man & found during night patrols before the 162nd Bgde were pulled back late 16 August.

7th Munsters bayonet charge of 15 August made it to the Pimple on the northern slopes of the Ridge too. Farther north than Kidney Hill but an equal distance from their starting point Id say?

Can say whether theyre farther than Tekke Tepe but that was the best progress made in the northern area of Suvla. Any use?

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Steve & Charles,

Tekke Tepe is at least 1 1/2 mile further inland.

On the other thread Mark posted this :

"When about half way up the hill we extended having come under rifle fire from the higher ground above. Nearly at the top we found that a deep fold separated us from the top of the hill. It was impossible to advance further, ...." (Capt Elliot)

I think I know where this "deep fold" is. (think have spotted it with my binoculars) I have not been there (yet) but will certainly be there before the summer is over ...

cheers

eric

[joseph]

Hi Eric & Steve,

Thanks for the replies, Im more than astounded at the knowledge on this forum. As for (think I have spotted it with my binoculars) is fantastic. I will post a map of the 6th EYR progress as this may help with distances. Thank you,

Regards Charles

[steve fuller]

Hi Eric  & Steve,

Thanks for the replies, Im more than astounded at the knowledge on this forum. As for (think I have spotted it with my binoculars) is fantastic. I will post a map of the 6th EYR progress as this may help with distances. Thank you,

Regards Charles

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good map btw Charles.

Go with Eric on this one as he's "johhny on the spot" & knows the terain personally, whereas i dont!

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Charles,

Thanks for that map.

Will try to walk this route later this month and keep you informed (pics).

and Steve thanks for all the compliments ... you make be blush and ...

Gallipoli is only a short flight (but long drive afterwards) away ... anytime ....

eric

[steve fuller]

Credit where its due Eric & youre due some Id say!

[joseph]

Eric, Francis and Steve,

Thanks for your help, Eric I would love to do that walk with you,.. one day maybe, wife and funds permiting. Any idea if there is a Turkish account of the action. Steve maybe not on the spot but you certainly stimulate the discussion with your comments and suggestions, thank you. Francis is there any mention in John Still's book of any Royal Engineers going up Teke Tepe with the 6th EYR?.

Regards Charles

[MartinWills]

Hmmmm, furthest distance inland anywhere on the peninsula.

Well, at Anzac some of the 1st AIF got up onto battleship hill on the 25th April - territory which was never reached again, but probably no more than a mile inland. Of course some of this route was up steep gullies.

As for Helles, it depends where you measure from. If we take V beach or W beach (Lancashire Landing - 6 VCs after breakfast...) and head north towards Krithia, one can argue that men penetrated furthest from the landing point, but were still probably not more than a mile from either side of the narrow peninsula. Y beach and just to the north of Y beach or the barricade in Gully Ravine is a good way from Cape Helles but still close to the coast. Take your pick!

The Norfolks did not get as far as Tekke Tepe and the spot where they were found can be seen alongside the road that leads up towards the Turkish Gendarmes memorial. The progress along the Kiretch Tepe Ridge was, of course, parallel with the coast so no more than 800 yards inland though further from the landing point!

[FGT]

MartinWills - I think furthest from the landing point would be fairest - it's not their fault if they weren't landed at the most logical place. Inland is subjective, not literal.

Charles - I don't know of any other group being with 6th EYR but I first joined this forum to ask for information, I never expected to be giving it! My only source is JS's book, he doesn't mention any.

I can foresee a new post: when are we going to re-enact this? Wives willing, funds willing, Why not?

[MartinWills]

Given the "furthest from the landing point" I guess any of the many units that made it into the front line before Krithia would win.

I think it best to discount those that initially landed at Cape Helles and who then moved on (by sea) to Anzac and/or Suvla.

[joseph]

Francis,

Thanks for your answer, each input be it large or small is a help to answer the questions. Have started a campain into, the virtues of Turkey, with the wife??? At the moment I am trying to assertain the distance the RE travelled with HQ company.

Martin,

I will post a map of the peninsula. I am interested in the distance the units attacking Krithia travelled from the landing points. Did any units pass it?.

"I think it best to discount those that initially landed at Cape Helles and who then moved on (by sea) to Anzac and/or Suvla."

I dont quite understand this but do you know which vessels they travelled on, I am intrested in the Trawlers serving out there, particularly if they are registered in Hull.

Regards Charles

[MartinWills]

No, no-one passed Krithia, in fact it was never reached by the attacking forces apart from the story that a handful of officers may have walked from Y beach into the village and back after the landing at Y beach. I would guess the distance from V or W beaches to the furthest point of advance would be around three miles or so.

You need to remember that Helles and Anzac/Suvla were always divided by territory the Turks never lost. Some units served in both areas at different times during the campaign. Anzacs served at Helles and British at Anzac and Suvla. Transport between the two may well have been via Imbros or Mudros Harbour in many (but not all cases).

If you want a fullish list of ships serving at Gallipoli you will find this on the Gallipoli Association website, though it is by no means complete, especially when it comes to the smaller vessels. I honestly could not say what was/wasn't registered out of Hull.

[bob lembke]

Are you guy going to have a reinactment, with your wives decked out as "Turkish snipers"? Sounds like risky business to me.

Bob Lembke

[Brigantian]

eric

Looking forward to the pics.

Joseph/FGT

The 6 E Yorks were accompanied by half of 67 Field Company RE during the attack on Tekke Tepe.

The role of the Engineers was, “to assist in placing the hill in a state of defence”. The 67 FCRE war diary records that, “The O/C Coy (Major Brunner) was lost while accompanying O/C E Yorkshires during the retreat”.

On p28 of his book, John Still describes a conversation with a sapper major, who was later bayoneted in cold blood. This is almost certainly a reference to Major Brunner.

Captain Elliott, 6 East Yorks, who was taken prisoner with Lieutenant Still, later stated in a report outlining the circumstances of his capture, that Major Brunner, Lt Still & Lt Col Moore joined him near the top of Tekke Tepe before the retirement. It therefore appears that the Engineers accompanied the E Yorks all the way.

Regards

Mark