Battle Battle of Chunuk Bair

1 battle

1.1 rhododendron spur
1.2 chunuk bair (Çanak bayırı/conk bayırı)
1.3 farm

battle
rhododendron spur

battle of sari bair, showing british attack, 6–8 august 1915

the approach peak made along rhododendron spur, ran beach peak of chunuk bair. ottomans had outposts along spur @ table top, destroyer hill , nearest beach @ old no. 3 outpost. there ottoman outpost on bauchop s hill north. these outposts had cleared covering force, 4 understrength regiments of new zealand mounted rifles brigade, before main assault column proceed spur summit. auckland mounted rifles cleared old no. 3 outpost , wellington mounted rifles took destroyer hill , table top. otago mounted rifles , canterbury mounted rifles captured bauchop s hill, named after otago s commander, lieutenant colonel arthur bauchop killed during attack. in new zealanders lost 100 men in clearing outposts , while efforts successful, plan running 2 hours behind schedule, making difficult reach summit before first light.

the advance made valleys, or deres, on either side of rhododendron spur , once past table top, new zealanders climbed onto ridge, leaving 1,000 yards (910 m) travel summit.

the 3 battalions travelling along north side of spur in position 4:30 am, shortly before dawn. advanced knoll dubbed apex 500 yards (460 m) summit @ time there handful of ottoman infantry. canterbury battalion on south side of spur lost , delayed. johnston made fatal decision wait last battalion arrive before making attack.

the attack on chunuk bair main element in wider offensive. @ 4:30 supporting attack planned @ nek against baby 700, intended coincide new zealanders attacking chunuk bair down onto rear of ottoman trenches on battleship hill. battle of nek went ahead nonetheless, tragic consequences.

chunuk bair (Çanak bayırı/conk bayırı)

assault on chunuk bair, 8 august

the opportunity swift victory @ chunuk bair had been lost. 8:00 ottomans had started firing on new zealanders on spur. commander of ottoman 9th division, german lieutenant-colonel hans kannengiesser, had reached summit , preparing defence. in daylight, after exhausting climb , faced stiffening opposition, prospects new zealand assault against peak looked slim. nevertheless, general godley ordered johnston attack.

two hundred yards beyond new zealanders positioned on apex knoll called pinnacle straight climb summit. off side of spur north small, sheltered plateau known farm.

johnston told auckland battalion attack. 100 made far pinnacle desperately tried dig in. around 300 fell casualties between there , apex. johnston told wellington battalion continue attack. battalion s commander, lieutenant colonel william malone refused, stating not willing order men carry out hopeless attack. said battalion take chunuk bair @ night.

during day new zealanders reinforced 2 battalions british 13th (western) division; 7th battalion of gloucestershire regiment , pioneers of 8th battalion, welch regiment.

shortly after 3:00 on 8 august, following naval bombardment of peak, wellingtons, followed gloucesters, reached chunuk bair virtually unopposed. preceding barrage had driven of ottoman defenders away ground hard , rocky deep entrenchments.

chunuk bair hard defend, possible scrape shallow trenches amongst rocks , peak exposed fire main ottoman line on battleship hill south , hill q north. if original plan offensive had worked, hill q have been in allied hands. allanson s battalion of gurkhas reached briefly following day in no position offer relief troops on chunuk bair.

by 5:00 am, ottomans counter-attacked wellingtonians. slope of hill steep ottomans within 22 yards (20 m) of trenches without being seen. new zealanders fought desperately hold off ottomans, firing rifles , of fallen companions until wood of stock hot touch. when ottomans got trenches fighting continued bayonet. ottomans overran part of new zealand trench , took prisoners. in full daylight, reinforcements reaching summit @ trickle.

the fight raged day until trenches clogged new zealand dead. around 5:00 pm, malone killed misdirected artillery shell, fired either anzac or british ship.

the ottomans had reclaimed east side of summit , reinforced arrival of 8th division helles. extent of allied offensive became apparent, general otto liman von sanders, commander of ottoman forces in dardanelles, appointed competent officer, colonel mustafa kemal, commander defence of suvla , sari bair.

as darkness fell on evening of 8 august, fighting subsided , wellington battalion relieved. out of 760 men of battalion had reached summit, 711 had become casualties. whereas malone had resisted sending men on suicidal charge when told follow auckland battalion on 7 august, day later outcome same. new army battalions had suffered same. 417 casualties amongst welch pioneers , 350 amongst gloucester s including officers of battalion. wounded suffering beginning. took 3 days travel higher reaches of rhododendron spur beach, little on kilometre away.

the farm

british positions on 9 august

godley remained @ headquarters near beach, largely ignorant of state of fighting. plan 9 august take hill q. main force assault brigade commanded brigadier general anthony baldwin. baldwin commanded 38th brigade of 13th division situation confused force led towards hill q contained 1 of normal battalions, 6th east lancashires. had 9th worcestershires , 9th warwicks 39th brigade , 5th wiltshires 40th brigade (who later redirected reinforce chunuk bair). plus led 2 10th (irish) division battalions; 10th hampshires , 6th royal irish rifles 29th brigade. of 10th division had landed @ suvla on 7 august.

battle of sari bair, showing turkish counter-attack, 9–10 august 1915

this force climb hill q farm. @ same time new zealanders on right chunuk bair , units of general herbert cox s indian brigade on left attack hill. plan failed when baldwin s battalions became lost in dark trying find farm did not reach until after dawn, around 6:00 a.m. force reach hill q allanson s battalion of gurkhas. suffered same fate colonel malone, shelled own artillery, , stay on hill brief.

with offensive once again stalled, new zealanders on chunuk bair had endure day of ottoman harassment. night fell remaining new zealanders moved apex , replaced 2 new army battalions, 6th battalion of loyal north lancashire regiment , of 5th battalion of wiltshire regiment baldwin s force.

on morning of 10 august mustafa kemal led overwhelming ottoman counter-attack. if chunuk bair, 1 allied success of august offensive, recaptured, battle over. plan lacked subtlety brutally effective - overrun defenders sheer weight of numbers. mustafa kemal had stopped advance of ix corps @ suvla, counter-attack @ dawn on 9 august , late in day reconnoitred chunuk bair , planned attack 6 battalions.

there 2,000 defenders on or below summit of chunuk bair. baldwin s brigade @ farm numbered further 3,000. ottomans swept on lancashire battalion on summit, few of whom survived (510 men reported missing). wiltshires unarmed , un-equipped , scattered everywhere. on right flank, ottomans captured pinnacle, driving new army troops before them. new zealand machine gunners positioned @ apex shot down ottomans tried continue down spur. gunners not discriminate friend foe , killed many new army troops amongst charging ottomans, leinsters rushed apex reinforce. @ north side of rhododendron spur, ottomans descended chunuk bair small plateau of farm , overran baldwin s brigade, warwicks being annihilated, 6th royal irish rifles losing half number , baldwin being killed; survivors retreating cheshire ridge. turkish infantry exhausted , fell main ridge , farm plateau became part of no man s land.