Dardanelles

Dardanelles and Gallipoli Peninsula

The Dardanelles is a narrow strait in the northwestern area of Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea with that of the Sea of Marmara. Roughly 38 Miles (61 kilometers) long, it varies in width from 3/4 miles at its narrowest to 4 miles at its widest (1.2 to 6 kilometers). The strait connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea; in addition to this it separates mainland Europe (on the western side of the Gallipoli peninsula) to that of mainland Asia (on the eastern side).

Chronological events

Chronological events that took place in the Dardanelles.

• 1914
  • 1 October – Closed by the Turks.
  • 3 November – Forts bombarded by the Allies.

• 1915
  • 19, 20 & 25 February – Outer forts bombarded by warships.
  • 25-26 February – Anglo-French squadron destroys four entrance forts.
  • 2-4 March – After bad weather, bombardment of inner forts and Bulair.
  • 5-7 March – HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Ocean and HMS Agamemnon shell Narrows forts from the Gulf of Saros.
  • 18 March – The big attack fails; HMS Ocean, HMS Irresistible and the French battleship Le Bouvet are sunk by mines; HMS Inflexible and the French battleship Gaulois are damaged.
  • 20-30 April – Expeditionary Force (120,000 men) including six Divisions under Sir Ian Hamilton and a French force under General d'Amade, lands early in April; British submarine exploits.
  • 25-26 April – Landing of forces at Cape Helles and Anzac Cove. See Gallipoli for events pertaining to land fighting.
  • 12 May – HMS Goliath sunk by torpedo destroyer.
  • 26-27 May – HMS Triumph and HMS Majestic torpedoed.
  • 5 June – Optimistic view of the operations taken by Winston Churchill in his speech at Dundee.
  • 19 July – Number of casualties are announced: approx. 8,000 killed, 30,000 wounded and 11,000 missing.
  • 6 August – Suvla Bay landing takes place.
  • 16 August – Large number of reinforcements are refused.
  • 2 September – Four Turkish transports are sunk by British submarines.
  • 16 October – Sir Ian Hamilton is relieved by Sir Charles Monro.
  • Withdrawal is being considered during the autumn. The decision to evacuate is made in November.
  • 18-20 December – Evacuation of Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove successful.

Compendium entry: This is a collection of words and knowledge relative to the specific analysis of the Lonsdale Battalion and the wider Border Regiment, predominantly in connection with their actions and the places they were known to have been stationed or fought during the 1914-1918 period. Much of this information has come from primary sources including, but not limited to, the Lonsdale records and the Border Regiment War Diaries. Please feel free to expand and improve this resource.