Suvla Point & Suvla Bay, Gallipoli Turkey

"For two days – 8 and 9 August – the battle in and around Conkbayiri (Chunuk Bair) raged. Both sides suffered terrible casualties and the slopes on either side of the peak were littered with the dead, dying and wounded. The Turkish commanders on the spot were fearful, even panicky. Kemal, who had been put in charge of the whole northern front, spent those two days at Suvla Bay where the British had made another landing which, if it had been pressed forward with decision, could have swept across the peninsula".

Suvla Bay is north of Anzac Cove. From Eceabat to Suvla Point via Anzac Cove is a distance of about 27 km. Inland is the Salt Lake, and farther inland again is the Suvla Plain and low hills that with the exception of some isolated farms and three small villages have been largely uninhabited since 1915. The prominent hills on the edge of the Suvla Plain are, from west to east, the W Hills, Scimitar Hill, and the twin summits of Chocolate Hill and Green Hill. The plain is so flat that the importance of these hills is out of all proportion to their actual height.

Suvla Bay. The August Offensives. Faced with deadlock a daring scheme was developed. There is some contention about which offensives were diversionary attacks and which were points of main effort, however, what was attempted was a landing at Suvla Bay and a march through the comparatively undefended country north of Anzac, then an advance up the ridges leading to the heights of the Sari Bair (now Kocacimen Dagi) range. If successful the entire Turkish position at Anzac would be outflanked and the Allied advance across the peninsula to the 'Narrows' could be resumed. At Suvla Bay the IX Corps under the command of Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Stopford would land and capture a cluster of hills several kms inland. (Stopford had never before commanded men in battle and was about 70 years old). Several feints were planned at Anzac and Cape Helles to prevent the Turks from moving reserves to the threatened areas.

By daybreak part of the New Zealand Brigade managed to climb within striking distance of their objective, Chunuk Bair (now Conkbayiri). When the New Zealanders attacked later that morning they were repulsed. The failure to capture Chunuk Bair had unfortunate consequences for the Australians who were to carry out the diversions for 7 August. The Light Horsemen of the 8th and 10th Light Horse were shot down in droves when they attacked the full strength (and secure from the rear) Turkish trenches at the Nek.

Stopford's IX Corps began landing at Suvla Bay on the night of 6 August and by the next morning almost 20,000 men were ashore. The Turks were taken by surprise but the advantage was not followed up. The inexperienced troops stayed close to the beach and when Turkish reinforcements counter attacked on 9 August the hopes for a British advance were dashed. Hamilton relieved Stopford of his command on 15 August. On 21 August a major effort was made to capture the heights inland from Suvla Bay, beginning with Scimitar Hill (now Yusufcuktepe). It was the greatest battle of the Suvla Bay area but it failed.

Webmasters note. This is the sort of decision making (and later excuse making) by British senior officers that doomed the campaign from the start. Here the excuse is made that the troops were "in-experienced" and therefore unable or unwilling to advance (unopposed) as they had been ordered to do. If that is an excuse how does one explain the "in-experienced" Anzacs landing at night, opposed, and advancing immediately 100s and in some cases 1,000s of yards, over much worse territory.

Hand written map of Suvla made in 1915. This hand drawn map of Suvla Bay was created by Leo Terrell. Brothers Frederick Leopold (Leo) and Eric Terrell of Largs Bay both went away to the First World War, where Eric died from pneumonia two weeks before the Armistice. As an Able Seaman Sapper of the First Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, Leo embarked on HMAT Port Macquarie from Melbourne on 4 June 1915. He survived the war and returned to South Australia.

Suvla Bay