Small press specialising in Gallipoli and the First World War in the Middle East.
Little Gully’s Mike Crane attended the unveiling on Thursday 22 August 2024 of a new memorial to units of the old Wigan Volunteer Drill Hall, including the 1/5th Manchester Regiment. Hugh Darlington, grandson of Sir Henry Clayton Darlington who commanded the regiment at Gallipoli, gave a speech. A full report, including the text of the speech, can be found on the Gallipoli Association website.
https://www.gallipoli-association.org/news/2024/wigan-drill-hall-memorial/
Major-General Sir Charles Callwell was one of the authors of the 1906 study into the feasibility of attacking the Dardanelles. He was also the author of one of the first histories of the campaign.
You can read what Callwell had to say about the campaign in “Alive With Death,” the first part of the new Gallipoli history “Hell and Confusion.”
Little Gully proudly presents ‘Alive with death’, the inaugural volume of a ground-breaking history of the Gallipoli Campaign, narrated day by day through the voices of those who experienced it first hand.
https://littlegully.com/books/hell-confusion-gallipoli-day-by-day-vol-1
A couple of years ago we indexed Gallipoli articles in ‘Twenty Years After’. Did you know that digital copies of the magazine are now available to members of The Western Front Association? The archive is also keyword-searchable.
https://steadyhq.com/littlegully/posts/51f0bc6b-9243-4e86-a36f-320317eb5143
Charles Watkins’ wonderful Gallipoli memoir is reviewed in the latest journal of The Western Front Association. ‘Descriptions of life on that murderous peninsula are very vivid, though there seems to be a concentration on the less salubrious’! Get your copy today.
https://littlegully.com/books/lost-endeavour
A flash of strategic genius, a worthwhile gamble or did ‘criminal idiots attempt the impossible’?
A new day-by-day account of the Gallipoli Campaign gets you right inside the dramatic events.
Subscribe for release date & news 📨 https://steadyhq.com/en/littlegully/newsletter/sign_up
Hell and Confusion: Gallipoli Day by Day
Image credit: collection of Serpil & Bill Sellars.
Diary note: A memorial to all units resident at the old Wigan Drill Hall will be unveiled on 22 August by Hugh Darlington, grandson of the former Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Colonel Sir Henry Darlington.
https://www.gallipoli-association.org/news/2024/new-memorial-at-wigan/
Available soon, D.V.
While many people focus on Winston Churchill's part in the origins of the Gallipoli campaign, some, if they're not under the impression that he was the British Prime Minister at the time, often overlook the role of the man who was, Herbert Asquith.
In “Alive With Death,” the first volume of a new Gallipoli history, you can read what Asquith had to say about the Turks; attacking the Dardanelles; and Admiral Jackie Fisher's relationship with Churchill.
Did he fail to control his ministers? Did he pay attention to professional naval and military advisors? All this is covered in the new book, to be published later this year.
Image: Herbert Asquith watching a Parliamentary cricket match, 'The Sphere,' 23rd July 1910.
Just finalising the images to be used in "Alive With Death," the first volume of my Gallipoli history, "Hell and Confusion."
This one might not make it....
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“Officers of the Rochdale Battalion 6th Lancashire Fusiliers.
“Photographed in Egypt Before Leaving for the Dardanelles.” [1]
[1] 'Rochdale Observer,' 19th June 1915.
‘The morning of Friday, June 4, was bright and sunny. Looking round in the early morning, the landscape had little about it to suggest what was about to happen...’
Alec Riley’s Gallipoli diary records in detail his view of the Third Battle of Krithia. It is a remarkable and poignant first-person account.
Riley returned to the Peninsula after the war. On 4 June 1930, he climbed Achi Baba and looked upon the softly-scarred battlefield from its teasing summit.
Little Gully's edition of Gallipoli Diary includes his notes and photographs from that visit.
https://littlegully.com/books/gallipoli-diary-1915
Historian Stephen Chambers recommends ‘Lost Endeavour,’ the vivid memoir of Gallipoli soldier Charles Watkins. He says:
This book uses a lot of the common soldier’s vernacular of the time, and is full of anecdote. “Fust thing Ah’ll get me when Ah gets to Cairo will be to buy meself a big plate of fried eggs, stacks and stacks of good bread-and-butter, and a pot of tea – in a pot so bloody big you’d be able to swim in it. Wot does ta think o’ that for a start, Sarge?’ The Sergeant regarded the questioner quizzically, then burst out laughing. ‘Knowing thee as Ah do, mate,’ he said, ‘that’ll be the second thing tha’ll be getting’ thiself.” While it can take a few pages to get your eye in, it is most definitely worth the effort.
Little Gully have done a wonderful service by republishing Watkin’s work, thus giving it the wider readership it truly deserves... it remains a must-read.
https://littlegully.com/books/lost-endeavour
Stephen’s review can be found in the latest edition of The Gallipolian, journal of the Gallipoli Association.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review on Amazon. A good summary of the contents and flavour.
"From the Horse's Mouth!"
This book is a delight. A reminiscence rather than a History, it very well conveys the feeling of "being there" on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. Watkins has a narrative novelistic style and is a 'dab hand' at decanting Lancashire accents onto the page; also the refined tones of the High and Mighty officers and those wealthy purveyors of War Supplies back home, who ruled the lives of the poor 'Tommies' (the Army rank and file). And don't forget the ever-pious thoughts of Johnny Turk in the opposing trench, ever-ruled by Allah and pining for his home village.
The Editors have added much valuable historical context in Appendices and footnotes, sometimes exposing the fallibility of Watkins memory over half a century; sometimes bringing the reader up cold with the realisation that the jolly Tommy jesting in the trench with Watkins was soon after dead - his legacy nothing more than a dusty carved line on the Helles Memorial to the Missing.
Entertaining and thought-provoking.
https://littlegully.com/books/lost-endeavour
‘A fascinating insight into one of the lesser-known exploits of Britain’s little army of Chanak.’
Historian Stephen Chambers recommends P.J. Bothwell’s affectionate account in the latest journal of the Gallipoli Association.
https://littlegully.com/books/in-chanak-with-the-british-army
Today, 12 May, is International Nurses Day, when we remember and acknowledge their invaluable service.
Image: Sister Esther Murphy, Australian Army Nursing Service, assisting with surgery at No. 1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station on the Western Front, November 1917. (AWM E01304)
‘Early morning. May 7, 1915. Gallipoli. 6th Manchesters & Bde HQ in foreground.’
This photograph was taken (and captioned) by Alec Riley, a signaller with the 6th Manchesters, from a point just south of W Beach, on the cliffs above the sea.
Note the ships of the expeditionary force clustered about the landing beaches at Helles. Sitting ducks for subs!
This wonderful photo survives, and several more besides, because Alec Riley sent copies to Sir Ian Hamilton, when they corresponded post-war.
Read the full story in his diaries:
https://littlegully.com/series/alec-rileys-first-world-war-diaries
Pte. Robert Johnson, 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, was wounded during the Second Battle of Krithia on 6th May 1915. He told of his experiences, and of meeting his father, Robert (snr.), on the battlefield, after arriving back in England in an account published on 2nd July 1915.
“We left Alexandria on the s.s. “Nile,” and after two days' sailing came in sight of the Gallipoli Peninsula. For an hour before this we were within sound of the big guns. We steamed slowly into a sort of large bay, and there were scores of troopships and transports lying there. A little way off, the warships (French and British) were in a ring round the point of the peninsula. They were firing away like blazes, and we, being new to the sound of guns, felt inclined to shout “Hooray” at every bang. As we steamed into the noise, the Todmorden lads realised that they were now getting amongst it, and one of them remarked, “We're on't fust teem now.” Shortly after that we had a collision with a French transport which resulted in two of the ship's boats being ripped off and crushed. Imagine the laughter when someone shouted. “Wen last by two, playing away at that.” Meanwhile small destroyers were sailing about with marvellous speed. We anchored, and night came on. The guns belched flames into the night, and it was like a spectacular display, one of “Hamilton's Excursions.” When a very large gun fired, our ship shook from stem to stern. We had to prepare to disembark in the morning, so mine-sweepers came alongside. D Company (mostly Todmorden lads) disembarked first; then C Company, to which I belonged. We landed at Seddul Bahr. The practically fort K*m Kale sent one shell at us, but it was wide. We ran alongside the ship “River Clyde,” the transport that was purposely run ashore to facilitate landing, and soon we were on shore. It then dawned on us that very near by there was work to be done. A moment or two later, we passed some Turkish prisoners. They had sacks round their feet. but a few had boots of German pattern. We mounted a ridge, and walked about half a mile, and then we bivouacked. At tea time, we were told to get ready to move. We each got a pick or shovel and set off on an eventful journey. We were going into action, but we were a sort of unawares. It didn't seem two minutes since we were in Cairo. It was very dark, and we could hear the rattle of the rifles, but soon we realised that there was a night attack in progress on our trenches. The Turks were sending starlight rockets up, and more than once we were exposed.
“At last, after feeling our way by wires, and falling many times, we reached the trenches. They were occupied the King's Own Scottish Borderers, who left in silence, and here we were — left in charge of the left front of the firing line. Our ran trenches right to the edge of the cliffs. It was terribly cold, and we were all shivering, but we all kept wide awake and tried to get an idea of our surroundings. Morning came at last, and we soon were realising what are had come to do. Right away in front of us was a large hill, a famous hill called Achi Baba. You have some idea of it when I say it is for all the world like Whirlaw. In the fields in front of us were piles of Turkish dead, and alas, piles of Scottish dead, too. We started moving about — plenty of us were inquisitive, and rather too fond of peeping over to see what was happening. Many of us were cautioned to keep down by a whizz overhead. Just after breakfast, the snipers got busy, and potted one or two off; then just before eleven, the warships and land batteries started bombarding. Oh! what a noise; the shells did fairly scream and bang. We could see columns of earth thrown up by some large shells. The seaplanes were flying round and directing the fire. At eleven, we were to have an attack — all the British line, also the French — a general advance. At eleven prompt, D Company left us, and got out of the trenches. They were met by a hail of shells and a rain of bullets. Then it came C Company's turn, and at last my section got out. Captain Barker was ordering each section out. He said, “Over you go, lads!” Of course he meant over the trench, but some of us went over in a different sense. Some were knocked over. I myself got going well for a good way; the bullets whistled safely part in scores. I thought, not how marvellous it is that you get hit, but how marvellous it is you get missed. I had just got down after a section rush — I had seen my father fall earlier, and I wondered whether he was advancing or not, — I was just looking round to see, when I got such a stunning smack. I looked round slowly to see what damage had been done, to find my arm blown into a fantastic shape. It had been fractured, and at the same time it had been blown over into a funny position. Besides, a shell burst overhead close to me, and the shock made me deaf and speechless. A young Rochdale lad was passing. and he asked me did I want a drink. I then found out I was speechless. Well, it was no use lying there waiting to be shot again — although as I afterwards found, I had already lain there an hour and a half. Our artillery had just given a regular salvo to the Turks, and their rifle fire abated a little, so I picked my arm up, and made a dash for the cliff. Over the cliff edge I went, and went sliding and jostling down the loose gravel, It was here I got my speech back. A little way off, I saw my father. He had twisted his foot by falling over a trip wire which had been laid in front of the trenches. He came to me, and asked what was wrong. I immediately told him and he took to the base. It took 2½ hours to get there, and I was fixed up temporarily for transmission to the hospital ship. I never saw him again. We spent a miserable ten days on the hospital ship “Southland,” after which time we arrived in Malta. After three weeks in Malta, we were sent to England, where we arrived on the 13th June, at Devonport. Other Todmorden chaps whom I have been with are: W. Smallwood, P. Sutcliffe, A. Howarth, W. Whitaker, M. Fortune, Y. Halstead, G. Taylor. All were wounded on the 6th of May at Achi Baba. Anyhow, we have been treated fine since our arrival in England, and after about six or seven weeks I shall be back in good old Todmorden once again, and I won't be happy till I gel there.” [1]
[1] 'Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter,' 2nd July 1915.
Image: “View from front line trench looking towards Achi Baba Gallipoli, 29th April 1915.” IWM Q 44314.
5 May 1915, the 1/6th Lancashire Fusiliers landed at W Beach, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. It was the day before the start of the Second Battle of Krithia.
Territorial soldier Private 8878 Charles Watkins:
From the moment we set foot ashore we felt the strangeness and magnitude of the task. Unlike our brothers of the glorious 1st Battalion, we were not battle-trained. The narrow beaches were swept continuously by shrapnel fire ... I will admit we wilted a bit under our first baptism of fire. This was not at all like we had been led to expect in war.
The psychological shock was profound.
Back in Egypt our training had consisted of long gruelling marches in the desert, open-order skirmishing, followed invariably by a fixed-bayonet charge at a non-existent and mythical enemy. None of us had ever heard a shot fired in anger, much less been on the receiving end of a bursting shell. It was like landing a bunch of tough Boy Scouts on a battlefield...
Read more from Charles Watkins in his vivid memoir ‘Lost Endeavour’.
https://littlegully.com/books/lost-endeavour
Also available at The Fusilier Museum, Lancashire
3 May 1915, the 6th Manchesters and the Manchester Brigade HQ staff embarked for Gallipoli.
At the Alexandria docks, Alec Riley saw wagon loads of khaki clothing, ‘torn, shredded, blood stained,’ being off-loaded.
‘This looked nasty and suggestive, and we hoped it would not happen again.’
Riley and the 6th Manchesters sailed on NDL Derfflinger, a seized German transport, popularly known as the ‘Dirtflinger.’
As well as smuggling their dog aboard, and pilfering from the ship’s stores, Riley and his pals had further intimation of what was in store.
‘On one of the decks there was a giant heap of torn and bloody clothing taken from the Anzac casualties after their landing. The strong sun made it smell so it was sorted out, and most of it was thrown overboard.’
Read Alec Riley’s diaries for a detailed and reliable account of the fighting at Helles.
https://littlegully.com/series/alec-rileys-first-world-war-diaries
Brilliant presentation on the Anzac landing, using Google Earth and drone footage to explain the terrain, plus contemporary photographs and accounts, all underpinned by a superb script from Stephen Chambers. Must watch!
https://youtu.be/g0aBAq5z-PE
The stories of Australia's army nurses in the Gallipoli Campaign, and on the Western Front, is told brilliantly by Cheryl Ward in her play script 'Through These Lines'. We've just published a new, illustrated edition.
https://steadyhq.com/en/littlegully/posts/0ec035ae-8029-4956-af5b-8708443f0a21
Thank you, Gallipoli, 1915.
Link to the three diaries: https://littlegully.com/series/alec-rileys-first-world-war-diaries
Recommended read: "Gallipoli Diary 1915" by Alec Riley (edited by Michael Crane and Bernard de Broglio).
Alec Riley was a signaller in the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division at Helles from May until he was evacuated sick from the peninsula in September 1915.
An unidentified member of 1/6th Battalion Manchester Regiment described a visit to the Pyramids in a letter published on 19th February 1915.
“Territorials in Egypt.
“A Wooler Youth Visits the Pryamids. [sic]
“Writing to his parents at Wooler, a young man, with the 6th Manchester Regiment (Territorials), now stationed the Abbassia Main Barracks, Cairo, says: — We are now becoming acclimatised to our surroundings here, and getting to know Cairo better although it is rather a difficult city to learn being so irregular and many of the streets are very similar, which is very confusing. The cars take about half an hour to reach the city from the Barracks. We visited the city for the first time at night and were rather disappointed being ditry [sic] in places and the smells none too fine. Our second visit was during the day time, when we were more favourably impressed with it. We have been doing divisional training on the desert, the work wasn’t hard but the dust while on the march was almost intolerable. The life suits me and I am in the pink of condition. I commence the day with a cold shower bath at 5.30 a.m., and it is cold then. Some days we are out from 7 a.m. till 4.30 p.m., and all for 1s day. On Saturday afternoon we had a holiday, so a few of us resolved to do the Pyramids, which was a red letter day for me, as it was certainly a most interesting trip to visit one of the great wonders of the world. When we arrived Ghizeh, by car, we made tracks for the great Pyramid, and after having taken off our boots we went inside with a guide. The boots are taken off as a precautionary measure as the surface in the passages is highly polished. There are no regular steps inside only holes cut in the sloping floors. It is a case of bending your back nearly all the time and being very close and stuffy it was not surprising to see the perspiration pouring out of us. After climbing about one third or more of the way up, inside, we arrived at a couple of very plain chambers, one of which is said to have been for King Cheops and the other for his Queen, the former contains only a sarcophagus. As soon as we got outside our climb commenced. It is not a very difficult task but one would not care to perform the feat too often in one day. It was well worth the trouble, not only for the sake having been on the top but for the magnificent view obtained from it. A splendid view of the Australians’s [sic] Camp with the tents well set out attracts the eye while the dividing line between the cultivated land and the desert is quite distinct. A beautiful view of Cairo is obtained as well as the other Pyramids and monuments. This pyramid is about 480 feet high and originally covered about 13 acres of ground and said to have been built over six thousand years ago. While on the top our party partook each of a cup of coffee, amid our curious surroundings. We found the descent easier than the ascent and on reaching the base took camels to the Sphinx... [we] could not resist the temptation to have a camel ride. The Sphinx is smaller than I expected as the sand is gradually covering it up. In the vicinity of the pyramids, excavations are being carried out on behalf of an American gentleman, the outlines of a city are easily discernible from the top of the pyramid but, of course, the buildings are all in ruins. On our return we had the pleasure of witnessing a very fine sunset (and they are most gorgeous here). The sun did not set directly behind the pyramids but looking from under the branches of a tree the effect was very fine indeed. Darkness came on rapidly when the wonderful sights were lost to view, but the memories of the day will not soon be forgotten. To return to matters military we have been served with cardigan jackets for night wear for it gets very cold after sunset. They are the best things we have yet had from the Army. We are likely to have a go at the Turks, but of course, we would much rather it was the Germans. Since our arrival here there has been no rain. A number have been invalided home.” [1]
[1] 'Berwick Advertiser,' 19th February 1915.
Image: “The Pyramid of Cephren and excavations.” AWM G01652.
So the News from Gosling Press is our Conference on 2nd November in West Yorkshire close to the M1.
4 Great speakers and lunch. Even better the chance for a discount on the ticket price if you book before 31st May!
https://goslingpress.co.uk/not-the-wester
If you’re interested in what happened at Gallipoli after it was occupied by Allied forces, you’ll want to know more about ‘Harington of Chanak’.
Register for a talk by Clive Harris of Battle Honours Ltd on 22 January.
https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/events/online-harington-of-chanak/
The Western Front Association
(Image from General Harington’s autobiography.)
What's new for 2024:
https://steadyhq.com/en/littlegully/posts/8419db62-0900-4e08-ad92-78513a0d99ea
Image: Chanak during its occupation by Allied forces, courtesy Jim Grundy.
Join our email list for occasional updates. One coming soon!
https://steadyhq.com/en/littlegully/newsletter/sign_up
Image: Nagara Fort, 1923. Colourised BdB, 2023.
Best wishes for 2024 from Mike and Bern.
Seddulbahr
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Charles Watkins, 1/6th Lancashire Fusiliers, writing in 1970: “This particular campaign has already been much more heavily criticised by far abler pens than mine — criticised by men with greater professional knowledge and training. So — is there any need for yet another spate of reminiscences? It’s a reasonable objection. Above all, why seek to resuscitate, at this late hour, memories of a campaign of more than fifty years ago? “I can’t answer these objections except to note that unrecorded endeavour has so often been the scabby memorial of the British Army, and I myself feel compelled to pay some tribute to my old comrades. History too, seems to impose upon its servants the necessity for some recording of special events, however inadequate such recording may be. “And this campaign was rather ‘special.’ A mere nine months campaign, on a pocket-handkerchief size battleground, and with more than a quarter of a million British, Colonial and French casualties — there should be a story somewhere.” Read Charles Watkins’ story in ‘Lost Endeavour’, now available in paperback, hardback and ebook formats. https://littlegully.com/books/lost-endeavour #gallipoli
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