New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-17
The Dardanelles Campaign.


describe the comparatively simple geo
graphical circumstances of the batteheid'
The Gallipoli Peninsula is perhaps fifty
miles long, extending westward from the
European mainland, with the Dardanelles
Straits at the south and the Gulf of Saros
at the north. Were Manhattan Island a
peDinsula its relation to the East River
would be wholly similar to that Of the
Gallipoh Peninsula to the Dardanelles.
But only the western tip of this PENN
sula has yet been involved in the struggle
To master the topography Of this Sir Ian
Hamilton in his first report of operations
has supplied an admirable figure. He COM
mares il to a badly worn boot. Accept this
figure and the relation Of the important
details TO the main campaign can easily
be set forth.
Thus the toe of the boot is the western
end of the peninsula, the extreme point OF
which is Cape Hellas and the notable feat
ure is the town of Sedul Bahr, the site OF
the Turkish forts commanding the en-
trance to the straits and the scene Of the
first fighting.
Eastward from Sedul Bahr along the
sole Of the boot TO the heel is slightly less
than ten miles. and exactly at the heel IS
the narrow point in the Dardanelles, com
manded by a cluster of Turkish forts on
the Gallipoli Peninsula and faced by others
on the Asiatic shore.
Now. going east along the other shore
of the peninsula, at the point which CORE
spends to the ankle, is a curvlng bay-be-
ginning at the hill of Gaba Tepe and end
ing at Suvla Bay-a stretch of three or
four miles. dominated by the ridge of Sari
Bahr. some 900 feet over the Gulf Of
Saros. From Cape Hclas to Suvla Bay is
perhaps twelve miles. At Gaba Tepe, the
ankle, the GallipoH Peninsula is about five
miles wide; at the toe, between Sedul Bahr
and Cape Hellas, less than two.
Now, the objective of the Allied forces
is the cluster Of forts just under the heel,
above the village Of Kilid Bahr To reach
this two ways were open. Troops could be
landed along the shore Of the ankle from
Gaba Tepe to Suyla Bay. They could also
be landed at the toe from Cape Hellas to
Sedul Bahr, and just under the toe at
Morto Bay-the best landing place of all,
but under fire from Turkish batteries on
the Asiatic shore near the site of Troy.
But east Of Cape Hellas as far as Gaba
Tepe. the character of the coast was such
as to make landing operations difficult and
an effort here ended in relative failure.
The first problem of the Allied COM
mander was to get his troops ashore, and
he was obliged to make a general attempt,
that is, to fling his forces at every available
landing place at once, in order to avoid the
destruction of each separate landing party
by the Turks, who could easily concentrate
overwhelming numbers at any threatened
point. 1t is worth recording that the land
ing cost $4,000 casualties, that is, num-
Der equal to the whole of the first Ameri-
can expedition to Santiago in 1898
The landing was made mainly at the toe
from Cape Hellas to Sedul Bahr. Mean
time the French landed on the Asiatic side
and for the moment so engaged the Asiatic
batteries that Morto Bay was occupied
At the same time other parties were put
ashore at the ankle above Gaba Tepe and
below it on the instep east Of Cape
Hellas and Gaba Tepe. But these two
landing parties were instantly checked and
until the last few days could make nc
progress whatever.
Once the main force was ashore 1T moved
up the toe of the boot, stretching line
straight across the peninsula. But after
having progressed for some three miles il
reached the first strong defensive position
that of Achi Baba. Here a line of hills
stretches straight across the peninsula, ris-
ing abruptly from the Gulf of Saros to an
elevation of 400 feet and from the Straits
10 500 feet. Midway across the peninsula
and lust east of the village of Krithia is
the dominating hill Of Achi Baba, 709 feet
high.
Coming east from the toe this position
is reached by steep escarpment. 1t was
strongly fortified by the Turks. 1t was i'm
possible for the guns of the feet to be of
much service, because the contour of the
country compelled them TO lie far out to get
the necessary elevation. Against this posi-
ton the Allied forces moved on the first
day after they landed, but they were
halted there, and since the first check they
have been unable 20 make any substantial
progress toward Krithia.
Meantime a second force landed above
Gaba Tepe was designed to move south
across the instep, thus arriving in the rear
of the Achi Baba position and compelling
the Turks to retire from it. But this force
was no less promptly checked along the
face of the Sari Bahr hill and has been I'M
able to do anything but hang on since. 1t