2nd KIRTE BATTLE (MAY 6,1915)


       General Hamilton desired to capture the Krithian Zone before the Turks stromgly entrenched and reinforced.
       To achieve this target an assault plan was made for the 6th of May 1915. An Australian and New zealand Brigade was despatched to Seddulbahir from Arıburnu Zone.
       The assault started at 11.30 a.m on May 6,1915 following preparatory fires of naval and land artillery.
Although the British troops had the opportunity of proceeding a certain distance, they were thrown back by the Turkish counter-attacks and flank fires.
       The British failed to make any gain despite their insisted assaults until the evening.
       Attacks were repeated on 7, 8 and 9 May 1915. The British and French attacks were stopped every time by daunting Turkish counter-attacks and bayonet assault which caused the British to suffer a loss of 6.500-7.000 men. The Turks had severe casualties as well.
       Turkish Attack at Arıburnu Zone
       Enver Pasha (General), the Assistant Commander-in-Chief visited the fronts at Canakkale area on May 11, 1915 and decided to push the British into the sea at Arıburnu with a counter-attack which will yield final results.
       Enver Pasha sent a telegram from Istanbul to the Commander of the 5th Army on 13 May where he ordered a counter-attack at Arıburnu and also instructed that the counter-attack be made immediately upon arrival of the 2nd Division despatched to the area.
       The attack began at 3.30 a.m on 19 May 1915. Although it seemed to lead to a success at the beginning, Turkish troops rushing into British trenches had to withdraw both due to uninterrupted shelling of battleships, cross-fires of machine guns and to counter-attacks of British troops.
       The Turkish troops took defense position at their forward lines so that to be least affected by the naval bombardment. The Turkish casualties in this battle amounted to 3.000 dead and 6.000 wounded.
       In general, this adventure ended with a full withdrawal of Allied Forces from the Gallipoli Peninsula at the end of 1915 and in the first month of 1916, leaving half a million died and wounded soldiers behind from both side.