Shallow Graves inside Sedd-el-Bahr castle

[Orion]

Pals,

In two recent and similar topics, it was quite conclusively proven that a prominent building in the V-Beach vicinity had been mistakenly located. As it turned out, the building was in fact located inside the walls of the Old Castle Sedd-el-Bahr.

A photo of this building, contributed by one of our members, shows the inside of the Old Castle, the prominent building, and interestingly approximately 10+ rudimentary graves with crosses – all within the confines of the Old Castle Sedd-el-Bahr.

To whom do these graves belong?

The graves are likely from early on in the campaign, probably right from the first few days following the April 25th, 1915 landings at V-Beach. I speculate that perhaps this open area inside the castle was utilized as a temporary graveyard immediately following the ‘taking’ of the castle and the beachhead by the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Royal Munster Fusiliers and the Hampshire Regiment.

Perhaps the graves are those of the gallant fellows who fell, having been led by Colonel Doughty-Wylie, whom after securing the castle, stormed out the postern gate and attacked through the village of Sedd-el-Bahr to finally gain the high ground of Hill 141?

Perhaps this area inside the castle was used as a temporary graveyard for the men who were killed in this action through the village of Sedd-el-Bahr until more suitable arrangements could be made once the beachhead was secured?

Temporary, as evidenced by several other photos from 1915 and of course the establishment of the V-Beach Cemetery right at the beach.

What do you think?

Cheers,

Brian

[michaeldr]

Brian,

My first reaction when I saw Tuna's picture # 34 was that they were French graves

I recall a reference to a French hospital within the castle (*see added note below)

and I think that it was not unusual to site a burial ground nearby a hospital in war time

Having said that, you are correct in that some temporary burials did take place away from what we today call 'V' Beach Cemetery.

On page 146 of 'Helles Landing' the Rodges have a photograph of Captain G. Walford's original grave 'amid the ruins of Sedd El Bahr' and the following text:

"Captain Walford was initially buried near where he was killed by the walls of the Old Fort in the village; and a large cross was placed on his grave, which remained there throughout the campaign. When the CWGC cemetery was made on V Beach, his remains were reinterred there."

So as yet I have no definite conclusion on this one.

regards,

Michael

* I have since found the following ref on the web

Au bout d’une heure arrivée à l’Hopital Auxiliaire de Campagne n°19 installé dans le fort de Sedd ul Bahr, le Château d’Europe

[At the end of one hour arrived at the l’Hopital Auxiliaire de Campagne n°19 installed in the fort of Sedd ul Bahr, the Castle of Europe]

see: http://vinny03.club.fr/gg/carnet/bertrand2.htm

Apropos graves - This Frenchman was also with the army of occupation and he revisited the site [see his diary for 1919 (translation thanks to Google)]

"March 8 - Pilgrimage with the martyrdom of 1915, my captain lent his horse to me and a horse of travelling for a muleteer who accompanies me. I find the field of olive-trees, where I joined my regiment right after my unloading, the cypresses and the Turkish cemetery. We spend the night in the Castle of Europe to Seddul Bahr, kept by Senegaleses.

March 9 - There are twenty cemeteries, the way is bordered of posts where the dates are read: “French position at May 4, 1915”, further to a few hundreds from meters “French position at June 15, 1915”. The ground is covered with bones, where there were insulated tombs, generally a cranium and a tibia replace them, because all the tombs were systematically emptied and the bones scattered by Turkish. According to official documents, it was possible to reconstitute only 1.300 tombs out of 25.000 for French, and 1.800sur 55.000 for English."

Edited 14 September , 2006 by michaeldr

[michaeldr]

Some further speculation on the gaves seen in picture # 34

Appart from one in the foregound, they seem to be individual graves, each with its own cross

and therefore I would imagine that each soldier interred there was identified at that time

In contrast, for 'V' Beach cemetery the CWGC provide the following information:

"The cemetery used during April and May 1915 and a few further graves were brought in after the Armistice for burial in Row O. There are now 696 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 480 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 196 officers and men, nearly all belonging to the units which landed on 25 April, known or believed to be buried among them. No. of Identified Casualties: 216"

The "used during April and May 1915 and a few further graves were brought in after the Armistice" and the 480 unidentified burials, all ties in with what Compton Mackenzie [at that time a Lt., RMLI] saw when he visited 'V' Beach on Whitsunday [he was hoping to attend Mass with the French]

"I wondered about by myself on V Beach for the rest of the morning, looked with awe at the rusted bulk of the River Clyde, and knelt for a few moments by those two long graves, at the head of which a painted board commemorated; Gallant dead of the Dublins and Munsters and others."

[Gallipoli Memories - page 76]

Let me be the first to admit that there is nothing very definate here, however I continue to lean towards the idea that these are French graves within the castle

I shall be very interested to hear what others think

Michael

[michaeldr]

Brian,

the following is from Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide - Gallipoli; page 119

"To cope with the heavy French losses, four wartime cemeteries were created behind the front line. One, called Galinier, was in the interior of Seddulbahir fort..."

I feel that it is most probably it is a section of 'Galinier' which we see in the photograph

regards

Michael

[Jonathan Saunders]

When I saw these graves on the other thread I assumed they were French graves - mainly because the French occupied the Fort for the vast majority of the time the Allies were on the Peninsula. I go with Michaeldr on this.

[Guest gumbirsingpun]

hi friends

i dare say that they wir french graves, that french soldier in the photo produces the proof o it

as michael said, there was quite a large french cemetery called Galinier located near the castle of seddulbahir,

regards

tuna

ps,michael, if you have a photograph of Captain G. Walford's original grave, will you be so good as to send it to me?

[Guest gumbirsingpun]

a short inscription

[michaeldr]

quote: if you have a photograph of Captain G. Walford's original grave, will you be so good as to send it to me?

Tuna,

What I have is this from the 'Helles Landing' by Huw & Jill Rudge in the Battlleground Europe series of Pen & Sword Books

see page 146

regards

Michael

[Guest gumbirsingpun]

michael,m grateful to you for the photo

thanx alot

tuna

[Jonathan Saunders]

as michael said, there was quite a large french cemetery called Galinier located near the castle of seddulbahir

According to the Holts guide Galinier "was in the interior of Seddulbahr fort ..."