The Gallipoli Campaign was a campaign of the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula (Gelibolu in modern Turkey) in the Ottoman Empire between 17 February 1915 and 9 January 1916.
The Allies failed to secure the Dardanelles, a crucial strait that provided a sea route to the Russian Empire.
1914
November
1 – First convoy of Australian and New Zealand troops departs for Europe from Albany, Western Australia
5 – The United Kingdom declares war on Turkey
1915
January
13 – British War Council approves naval operation to the Dardanelles
March
18 – French and British naval operation fails
22 – Britain decides to launch land campaign on the Gallipoli peninsula
April
25 – Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) land at Anzac Cove, more than 1700 casualties evacuated in first 24 hours
26 – Australian submarine HMAS AE2 is first Allied vessel to sneak through the Dardanelles
27-29 – Anzac troops survive Turkish attempts to drive them into the sea
May
5 – Turkish shell Anzac Cove in what’s known as ‘Beachy Bill’, resulting in more than 1000 casualties
8 – Anzac troops join British attack at Helles, losing 1000 men out of 2000.
15 – Major General WT Bridge, commander of the Australian 1st Division is wounded, later dies on May 18, 1915.
19 – Australian legend John Simpson Kirkpatrick, famed for rescuing fallen troops with his donkey, is killed
24 – Armistice declared for nine hours to bury dead soldiers in no man’s land
August
6 – The major battle of the Gallipoli campaign, the August Offensive begins
6 – The six-day Lone Pine diversion starts
7 – Four waves of men in Australia’s 3rd Light Horse Brigade wiped out at the Battle of the Nek
8 – New Zealand and English forces gain foothold at vital outpost Chunuk Bair
10 – Turkish troops force Allied servicemen off Chunuk Bair
21-29 – The Battle for Hill 60 ends with major casualties, August Offensive fails
November
22 – English Secretary of State for War Horatio Kitchener recommends evacuation of Anzac Cove and Suvla
27 – Blizzard hits Gallipoli peninsula, reinforcing the need to evacuate
December
9-18 – More than 16,000 troops evacuated from Anzac Cove mostly at night
18-20 – Remaining 20,000 Australia and New Zealand soldiers withdrawn
20 – Evacuation of Anzac Cove and Suvla completed before dawn.
Some 22,000 Allied soldiers died and 55,000 were injured in the failed campaign.
Source: Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Monash University professor Bruce Scates.