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Irishmen in Gallipoli

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Gallipoli (U1996918) on Saturday, 10th September 2005

  This is some of what I have wrote (Although much of it is adapted). I'd appreciate if I could get some feedback.
  
  The naval and military campaigns in Gallipoli, Turkey, during World War I have been overshadowed by battles on the Western Front. Lack of official recognition of the distinctive Irish contribution in the war has often been criticised.
  
  In 1915, the Allies attempted to gain control of the strategic sea route to Constantinople (Istanbul) through the narrow straits of the Dardanelles (Canakkale Bogazi) in Turkey. The ill-fated objective was to assist Russia, divert German armies eastwards and thus ease pressure on the Western Front in France and Belgium.
  
  Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, supported by Lloyd George, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, was convinced that an attack on Germany's ally Turkey would relieve the western stalemate. The daring plan to open an eastern peripheral front was strongly opposed initially by powerful figures, especially Joffre, the French general, and Lord Kitchener, British War Secretary.
  
  It was ironic, therefore, that most of the Irishmen who fought in Gallipoli in 1915 served as part of Kitchener's New Army, in the 10th (Irish) division.
  
  Commanded by a Galway man, Lieut-General Sir Bryan Mahon, the 10th included men from the various Irish regiments, north and south. According to its historian, Major Bryan Cooper, the 10th (Irish) division was proud of its honour and destiny. En route to the Gallipoli expedition, the soldiers displayed shamrock emblems and other green symbols, while the bands played Irish tunes such as St Patrick's Day, God Save Ireland and Brian Boru's March.
  
  Before the Irish division fought on the Turkish front in the dry summer of 1915, other Irishmen had already experienced terrible carnage as part of the 29th division, which included the first battalions of three Irish fusilier regiments: the Dublins, the Munsters and the Inniskillings. When British and French naval attacks failed to penetrate the Dardanelles, troops, including the Dublins and Munsters, disembarked in Turkey.
  
  In April 1915, a converted collier named The River Clyde was used as an improvised landing craft to put ashore Allied troops near Cape Helles, at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. The modern Trojan horse poured out men to instant death from Turkish machine guns. The casualties included many men from Dublin and Munster. About a thousand others remained on board ship but later landed at V beach.
  
  The mismanagement of the Gallipoli landings is often contrasted with the successful D-Day landings in Normandy during World War II, but a high and bloody price was paid for the lessons learned in 1915.
  
  The Irish division landed in August 1915 at Suvla Bay on the Aegean coast, in western Gallipoli. The coastline from Cape Helles to Suvla Bay recalled images of Dublin Bay, while the strand -- backed by clay cliffs -- was reminiscent of Killiney beach. But any homely illusions were quickly dispelled by Turkish shrapnel and stubborn shellfire, resulting in heavy casualties. Intense heat compounded the problems facing the invading troops, who longed for cool, clean water in an alien climate where disease was rampant.
  
  As Cooper commented in his history of the Irish division, Suvla was a place of glorious memories, but it also brought sorrow and failure.
  
  The glory derived from the bravery of the Irishmen in battles for the hills around Suvla Bay, but the Irish division was shattered. Rifle fire was not effective against the hand grenades hurled by tenacious Turks concealed behind rocks.
  
  Captain Poole Hickman led a bayonet charge against the Turks on the Kirec Tepe ridge, shouting "On, Dublins!". The young barrister from Co Clare fell, mortally wounded.
  
  The casualties included many others from the Dublin Fusiliers 7th battalion's D company. It was called "The Pals" because it comprised friends who played rugby together and worked in city offices and shops.
  
  The Dublin Pals were unmatched for their bravery, dash, discipline and sense of duty. Henry Hanna KC, in his book The Pals at Suvla Bay, recorded many stories, including that of Ernest L Julian.
  
  A barrister and Reid Professor of Law at Trinity College, Dublin, Julian was elected to an officer's commission by his fellow Pals. Julian's short life of brilliant promise was prematurely ended when he died of wounds after leading his men during the assault on Chocolate Hill on August 7. He died of his injuries the next day on a hospital ship, aged 36, and was buried at sea.
  
  Von Sanders, the German commander, supported by Mustapha Kemal and Turkish troops, mustered sufficient reinforcements to block the invaders' movement. The ultimate failure was the unsuccessful attempt to capture the Gallipoli peninsula and gain control of the strategic Dardanelles. Despite the high rate of casualties -- about a quarter of a million on each side -- Russia remained isolated from its British and French allies.
  
  Nearly 4,000 Irishmen were killed, including those serving in Irish regiments, as well as in other units and in the Anzac forces from Australia and New Zealand.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by TonyG (U1830405) on Saturday, 10th September 2005

  Looks like a pretty good sumamry to me. Gallipoli is, of course, remembered more for the Anzac losses, but , as you say every regiment suffered appalling losses.
  
  Sorry to be a grammar nazi, but when you say you have "wrote" this, are you deliberately copying Ernie ("Here is a play wot I have wrote") Wise?
  
  
  

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Gallipoli (U1996918) on Saturday, 10th September 2005

  No, I'm afraid that was simply bad grammer

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• Message 4

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  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Saturday, 10th September 2005

  Looks okay to me too, although you have failed to mention Field Marshall William (Uncle Bill) Slim who was also there.
  
  Aplogies Gallipoli, I'm having a sly dig at TonyG, hope he doesn't mind. AA.
  

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• Message 5

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  Posted by TonyG (U1830405) on Sunday, 11th September 2005

  Nice,one Arnald. You win on this, as I can't claim Wellington was there. Mind you, I can't help tinking that if either Wellington or Slim had been in charge, the campaign would not have been the disaster it was.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Sunday, 11th September 2005

  I rather suspect that if Wellington or Slim had been in charge the campaign would not have happened at all. (Or if it did it wouldn't have happened in the way it did!). BTW, I agree.
  
  Cheers AA.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by gun_boat_diplomat (U1948869) on Thursday, 15th September 2005

  Who can tell who would of ordered gallipoli,
  
  It came about partly from public pressure and Churchills wanting to use Britains strongest weapon, its navy.
  
  Maybe every leader tries to use its strongest asset sooner or later, esp when the war is in quagmire.

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