On January 8, 1916, a complete retreat by Allied forces from the Gallipoli Peninsula’s shores in Turkey marked the conclusion of a catastrophic invasion of the Ottoman Empire.
The Gallipoli Campaign led to 250,000 Allied casualties and severely undermined the credibility of Allied military leadership. An approximately equivalent number of Turks were also killed or injured.
In early 1915, the British government aimed to relieve Turkish pressure on the Russians at the Caucasus front by taking control of the Dardanelles channel, the Gallipoli Peninsula, and ultimately Istanbul. This strategy would enable them to exert pressure on Austria-Hungary, compelling the Central Powers to redirect troops from the western front. Strongly endorsing this initiative was the first lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and in February 1915, French and British vessels began bombarding the Turkish forts that defended the Dardanelles.
However, bad weather delayed the operation, and on March 18, six English and four French warships entered the Dardanelles. The Turks, utilizing the time wisely, had laid mines that caused the sinking of three Allied ships and significantly damaged three others. Consequently, the naval assault was abandoned, and plans for a more extensive land invasion were formulated.
Starting on April 25, British, Australian, and New Zealand troops landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, while the French feigned a landing on the opposite coast to misdirect Ottoman forces. The Turkish defenders, commanded by Mustafa Kemal—the future President Ataturk of Turkey—inflicted heavy losses on the Australians and New Zealanders.
Simultaneously, British forces encountered severe opposition at their Cape Helles landing sites, leading to two-thirds casualties at some positions. Over the subsequent three months, the Allies achieved minimal progress from their landing sites and endured significant casualties.
To overcome the stalemate, a new British landing was executed at Sulva Bay on August 6, but the British could not take advantage of their largely unchallenged arrival and delayed their advance on the heights. With the arrival of Ottoman reinforcements, their progress was swiftly halted. Trenches were erected, and the British managed to advance by only a few miles.
In September, Sir Ian Hamilton, the British commander, was succeeded by Sir Charles Monro, who, in December, proposed an evacuation from Gallipoli.
By early January 1916, the last of the Allied troops had retreated. The disastrous campaign resulted in Churchill resigning from his position as the first lord of the Admiralty and taking up a commission to lead an infantry battalion in France.
