90 years ago today, British and Anzac troops landed at Gallipoli, the "soft underbelly of Europe". The rest as they say, is History.

Foes and fire are before you, and your homes far behind. Yet, though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be your own for ever.
Peter.

Brave men, brave men. My grandmother's brother died there. Between the crosses, row on row...

Let us all celebrate ANZAC Day while it lasts, and not blame Churchill, please, though we may,
but instead blame the Empire and its toffs, whom he fought, yet supported, until his very, dying day.

A comment with an Australian bias (point of view):

"The 1915 episode, first planned by Winston Churchill then First Lord of the Admiralty and Lord Kitchener, was intended to clear a relief route to Russia by securing a route from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

At the height of the fighting during the landings of April 25, 1915, the waters around the peninsula were stained red with blood at one point 50 metres out.

Fierce resistance from the under-rated Ottoman forces, inhospitable terrain and bungled planning spelt disaster for the campaign which involved British, Irish, French, Indian, Australian and New Zealand forces.

Among those who suffered the greatest losses were the Anzacs Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who made the first landings, swept by an unexpected current to a narrow cove rather than the wide beaches the planners intended.

But despite the toll in human life, the campaign is seen as a landmark in the formation of national consciousness in the two countries.

April 25 is marked as Anzac Day in both countries and each year the commemorations in Gallipoli attract thousands of visitors."

The BCC did a drama called "All the Kings Men" which might interest some here as it is available on video now..

It is based on the true story of a company of soldiers raised from the workers at the Kings Royal Estate at Sandringham in 1914...

The Company ends up fighting in Gallipoli where to a man, it simply "dissapears"...At the time rumours and "eye witness" accounts from other British soldiers filtered back to the UK and appeared in the Press saying that amist fierce fighting, a "cloud came down and took the men away"...this parallels similar stories that came back from Belgium and France such as the "Angel of Mons"...

Regards,

Pete

PeteE. I remember seeing that movie "All the Kings Men" (over here in the colonies) and have been trying to locate a video or DVD of it, without success. Any leads?
Peter.

Peter,

Have you tried Amazon? If its not available there I will ask around some of the local video stores and see if it can be ordered...

Regards,

Pete

Wasn't there a movie with Mel Gibson about this battle ?

About the only thing that will make me tear up is brave deeds by brave men. Guess that comes form being a native son of the Lone Star State, and the fall of the Alamo.

Chuck. Thee was a movie called "Gallipoli" about a group of Australians who "joined up" to fight. I don't think that Mel Gibson was in it, but it was a great movie with some wonderful music.
Peter.

There is an earlier movie titled "Gallipoli" by Peter Weir which stars Mel Gibson, Bill Kerr, Mark Lee etc.

A good movie but criticised by many in the UK etc as it doesn't portray any other nations involvement. But is wasn't intended too as it was a story about a couple of lads from Western Australia who volunteered and ended up in Gallipoli. The final scenes are of "The Neck" "battle" which was a stupid waste of life with hundreds killed and wounded charging on an area between trenches the size of a tennis court. Won't say more or else will ruin the movie. Worth watching if you haven't seen it.



http://www.hmv.com.au/product/dvd.asp?sku=966147

quote:

Mel Gibson delivers an electrifying performance in director Peter Weir's compelling story of friendship and adventure between two Australian soldiers in 1915. They cross continents and great oceans, climb the pyramids and walk through the ancient sands of Egypt to join their regit at the fateful battle of Gallipoli. The echoes of history belend with the friends' extraordinary destiny as they become part of a legendary World War I confrontation between Australia and the German alied Turks.

There's the African connection - "Egypt".


***


"All the King's Men"

Have a look in DVD stores and it can also be hired as a DVD rental. It may be called "The Lost Company" or similar here in Aust. Saw it in the video store today.

quote:

As the Sandringham Company advanced onto the WWI battlefield, a strange mist was seen to descend and engulf them... it was the last that was ever seen of the Sandringham Company at Gallipoli in 1915 and the mystery of its disappearance survives to this day. Narrated by Prince Edward. Based on a true story.

http://www.allaboutmovies.com.au/Title.asp?Key=36655&optMedia=V

Pete E; that regiment that you refer to was known as the "Sandringham Pals".All comprising of staff who worked for the King at Sandringham Castle.

The fate that befell these men was revealed in 1927,but as a moretorium(sp)of 50 years exists before military secrets can be revealed,no disclosure of the facts would be made known.

In 1969,the official report was made public,that in 1927,a cap was found,bearing the insignia of the Sandringham regiment.After some investigation of the nearby area,a particular site was thought to be "unusual",and so was excavated.

This site turned out to be a mass grave,which contained 217 bodies,all shot through the head.
These remains,all fully clothed,wore the insignia of the Sandringham Regiment.

According to the official report,this regiment succeeded in pushing the furthest foward of any allied troops engaged in the Gallipoli campaign.The problem was,British High Command,true to form,forgot to tell them when it was time to stop.

They finished up at an abandoned farm,ambushed by Turkish soldiers,with no hope of any allied support.It was common knowledge apparently,the Turks don't take prisoners.

There were two witnesses who finally verified the Turkish battle stratagy.
The first was himself a Sandringham Pal,who,shot through the side of his face,which smashed his jaw and removed his bottom row of teeth,lay on the ground watching the Turks bayonetting the dead and wounded.

He himself was bayonetted through the leg,the Turk was priming himself to give him another one,when a German Officer stopped the Turk,saying "that man is wounded,he must be taken prisoner".
Throughout this chaps life,he would never speak of what he had seen,until on his death bed,sometime in the 1970's,he revealed what he knew,to his sister in law.

The second witness was a minister of religion,attached to the Sandringham Pals,who saw the Regiment executed.Because of his close ties and friendship with the King,could never bring himself to disclose the fate of the King's most favoured Regiment,knowing the grief these facts would cause him.He did confide his information to only one person,his closest friend.We only know of this account through the ministers friend who went public after the ministers death.

It's coincidental that this topic should come up now,as I only watched a documentary on this yesterday.

Cheers.

mix3006

I think I have seen what was possibly the same documentry...When "All The Kings Men" was shown over here, its prompted complaints from the Turkish Government as they said war crimes were never infact proven...

Also after the war a Turkish officer offered a British officer a gold pocket watch for sale..It belonged to the Commanding Officer and was eventually passed to his relatives. Apparently his grandson still has it today...

Regards,

Pete

PeteE, is this fact? I am not trying to insult anyone, but as I recollect, this scene (with the offering of the watch by a Turk to a British person) was in the movie. Just trying to separate the movie from the "history", or was the movie claiming to be history? A previous poster stated some facts (eye witness accounts) that supported the movie version.
Peter.

Peter,

I am not 100% certain about all the circumstances/exact details such as dates ect... around the watch, but broadly speaking it did turn up in the hands of a Turkish officer who did sell it to a British Officer from where it was eventually presented back to the CO family..Those outline of events were on the BBC news website as part of the background to the film...

Regards,

Pete

I happen to own a couple of Turkish Mauser rifles in ~original form and shoot them regularly. One is a Model 1893 that shows considerable wear/use. But I have found it to be quite accurate and functional.

Whenever I shoot that rifle I think of those young Anzac men, doing uphill assaults of prepared positions against trained soldiers equipped with similar rifles.

Absolutely, we underestimated the Turks! Now at Beersheeba, the 4th Brigade, Australian Light Horse had a different result. That's another great flick "The Light Horsemen".
Moderator, we need another forum..."Great Flicks".
peter.

Here are a couple of web pages with a bit more detailed info:

Lost Sandringhams
Regimental History

mp3 recommendation: "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by The Pogues ("Rum Sodomy & The Lash" album/CD, 1985).

H. C.

Gadge, thanks for the links! Good information on what happened, as well videos etc.
Peter.

Don't forget the French foreign legion fought in Galipoli too.
My grand father was wounded there.

Well, I hope to hell that the Foreign Legion fared better than we did.
Peter.