Nick Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Pals, I'm currently engrossed in Carlyon's book on Gallipoli and would very much like to know more about the attack on the feature known as Boomerang Redoubt which was one of the more successful episodes of the 28th June attacks at Gully Ravine. Is anyone able to post or point me towards a map so that I may get a better understanding of what happened here? Here's hoping. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Nick, "Gully Ravine - Gallipoli" by Stephen Chambers in the Battleground Europe series published by Pen & Sword (cheap, good paperback) covers all you want and more, with plenty of maps. A good, informative read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 The battleground book on Gully Ravine is very clear - regretably my scanner is still US so can't provide the puctures; worth buying the book though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Horatio - SNAP Stephen PS where in Alfred's Kingdom do you live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 19 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Chaps, Thanks for the pointer. Looks like a few more pennies off to Amazon! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 If you get to the National Archives at Kew you will find maps of Gallipoli in the WO 301 series. Amongst these are a number of Turkish maps prepared just after the end of the campaign which show the trenches; lines etc in fine detail. The Turkish name for Gully Ravine is Zighin Dere which should help you find the relevant map(s). Some of the VIIIth corps maps may be helpful as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Plummed Goose Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Dear Nick, Attached a map from Aspinal-Oglander showing the boomerang redoubt or fort. This map dates from later in the campaign when the boomerang had become part of the British lines Yes, Steven Chambers' Gully Ravine is a most interesting book and will tell you the story of Gully Ravine from beginning to end and from A to Z. The reason why the Boomerang attack is so important and well remembered is that this attack was launched 15 minutes before the main "start" of the Gully Ravine battle. The idea was to eliminate this stronghold so the general attack on the right of the Gully would be less "bloody". It was highly successfull and must have been a morale booster for those to follow. eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 20 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Eric and Martin, Thanks for the pointers. Even though the map is from later in the campaign it shows how little distance it has moved forward. I've been impressed too with the national archive diaries etc from Gallipoi that are available to download from the web. Top service. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Plummed Goose Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Another mapfragment with the actual gains of the Battle of Gully Ravine. eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krithia Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Hi Nick, Attached are two other maps I used in the "Gully Ravine" book which may be of interest. They show the Boomerang at the time of Third Krithia (4th June 1915) and for the Battle of Gully Ravine 28th June. Hope they are of use. Regards, Steve C. and the other ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 21 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 21 July , 2006 Steve, This is super dooper. Thanks. I've not seen the ground, but was movement along the ravine itself totally out of the question? I'm assuming the sides were too steep to allow this? Your book is currently winging its way to me. make sure you spend the few pence royalty wisely ;-) Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 From an Australian newspaper: 'Frightful Scenes In Captured Trenches PARAPETS OF CORPSES London, July 5 Reuter's correspondent on the Gallipoli peninsula has reported that after the fight on June 28 the Turks' trenches, especially those in the ravine and before the Boomerang Fort, presented an appalling sight. Dead Turks were lying in shallow pools of green water at the bottom of the ravine. Many had been there for months and their condition was so awful that burial was impossible. The stench in the Boomerang trenches was frightful. The parapets had been built partly of corpses, for the Turks used the bodies of their comrades to stop bullets and after every fight covered them with earth to form parapets. The limbs of half-buried corpses protruded from the ground in the trenches. One trench was filled with half-mummified bodies. Part of the main Boomerang trench was full of newly-killed Turks, and a dozen cricket-ball bombs lay at their feet ready for use. This trench had been occupied for weeks by men who had been shielded by the corpses of their comrades. They had been breathing a stench intolerable to British soldiers, and had walked over half-buried dead whenever they moved. They fought on in this charnel-house, knowing that their bodies also would be used to make parapets or would be trampled into the foetid clay.' (Adelaide Daily Herald 7 Jul 1915 p4). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krithia Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 I've not seen the ground, but was movement along the ravine itself totally out of the question? I'm assuming the sides were too steep to allow this? Nick. At this part of the gully the sides are very steep, especially the eastern walls where the Boomerang was sited. The attack was primarily on either side, although advances inside the gully were made, but only when ground either side was in control. Its probably worth noting that barricades were built by both sides within the gully itself, remains of some can still be found today, but it was down to the old classic ... whoever held the high ground dominated the area below. It was therefore of vital importance, if not the key to the success of the attack in this area, to capture the Boomerang early in the advance. This they did, and the Battle of Gully Ravine became one of the most successful battles of the whole campaign. regards, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 23 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2006 Steve, Bryn Excellent stuff. Thank you. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 26 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 26 July , 2006 I notice in the publication of George Davidson's book "The Imcomparable 29th and the River Clyde" that the Boomerang position assaulted on 28th June is described as being a reboubt with sixteen machine guns. Creative accounting? He also, incidentally, mentions women in the Turkish trenches. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 26 July , 2006 Share Posted 26 July , 2006 Sixteen sounds a awful lot Per a quick re-reading Steve's book there was an undetected nest of 6 to 8 MGs in trench H13 which caused very big problems As you say 'creative accounting' - Perhaps the writer has added the two groups of MGs together Looking forward to hearing what Steve has to say on this Regards Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krithia Posted 27 July , 2006 Share Posted 27 July , 2006 Very much a case of creative accounting I should think ... the apt term 'overkill' comes to mind. There were undoubtedly machine guns in both the Boomerang and H13, but I doubt if there would have been more than a couple positioned in each. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 9 August , 2006 Author Share Posted 9 August , 2006 What do I think? (Sorry for delay in replying - just back from Hols) I can't believe it could have contained 16 machine guns, firstly because such a concentration would - as far as I can tell - extremely unusual in such a small position, and probably would not have been possible given the availability of MG's on that front anyway, and, secondly, that had it really contained 16 guns then I can't see that anyone would have been able to successfully assault it. Plus, of course, the tendency of participants of overestimate. I once got beaten up by a gang of thugs in Pontypridd. There were only two of them but I told everybody there were six ;-) Thanks for the replies Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecil Posted 10 February , 2008 Share Posted 10 February , 2008 the most up to date pic of the boomerang site regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 24 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2008 Cecil, Looks like my local golf course! Many thaks for sharing that. Regards Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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