Pope's Hill or Dead Man's Ridge?

[Mat McLachlan]

Hi all,

The first time I visited Gallipoli I made the arduous two-hour trek up Monash Gully, with the intention of climbing up to Quinn's Post. As I got near the head of the valley, however, two smaller valleys forked left and right. I knew Quinn's was in the valley to the right but it was too overgrown to contemplate following. So I went left, crashed through some thick undergrowth for about 15 minutes and then gave up and scaled an almost vertical, extremely unstable slope on the right of the valley. After a tough climb (which involved several instances of sliding backwards with my fingers clawing at the sand) I was on a small plateau, which had the remains of trench lines. I walked along this for a short distance and came out on the road along second ridge, with Quinn's Post Cemetery on my right.

Now, my question: I assume the slope I climbed up was the left-hand side of Pope's Hill (as you look at it from Monash Valley). From my description, does this seem right, or was it more likely Dead Man's Ridge? I've studied a few maps and the Pope's option seems the most likely. Thoughts?

Cheers,

Mat

[Bryn]

Mat, seems more likely you scaled Dead Man's Ridge, but it's hard to say; the sheer walls description sounds like the left side of Pope's.

There were a number of photos and maps placed in this thread a few weeks back.

 

 

[Geoff S]

Mat,

Have you looked at the maps & photographs on the previous thread titled

'Dead Man's Ridge, Anzac -Nobody ever took it'?

Some of them give a good perspective of the ground at the head of Monash valley.

Cheers

G

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Mat,

I think you climbed Dead Man's Ridge ...

Bryn, if Mat would have been on Pope's he would have ended up at road leading to the Nek (very close to the Turkish monument actualy). From his description it seems that Mat "hit the road" rather close to Quinn's ...

As for the trenches (plenty on Pope's), I have never been on Dead man's ridge so I have no idea of the trenches there .... There should be some Turkish trenches there though as it was a sort of "sniper-salient"

cheers

eric

PS : Well only one solution : Hop on a plane (both of you) I'll pick you up and we'll have a closer look together !!!

and Mat ... "which involved several instances of sliding backwards with my fingers clawing at the sand" ... Know what you mean ... got myself an ice pic !!!