Gallipoli

"Seldom have so many countries of the world, races and nations sent their representatives to so small a place with the praiseworthy intention of killing one another." This remark, made by a German officer who fought alongside the Ottomans (Turks) at Gallipoli, aptly sums up the bloody reality of that famous campaign. Throughout 1915, Ottoman (Turkish) and German troops turned back repeated sea and land assaults from British, French, Indian, Newfoundland, Australian and New Zealand forces. In all, nearly a million men fought there.

The battlefields were tiny; the casualties enormous. The Ottomans (Turks) threw almost half a million men into the battle, of whom 251,000 became casualties. Although no accurate records are available, eighty-six thousand Ottoman (Turkish) troops died there. The German contingent was very small and lost few men. British and Indian casualties totalled 119,696 (including over 28,000 dead); the French suffered 47,000 casualties. Australia's wounded numbered 27,700, of whom 8,700 were killed, while the New Zealanders lost 7,571 men (2,701 killed). It seems almost incomprehensible that such casualties could be sustained in this small area.

From "Gallipoli - The Turkish Story", Allen & Unwin, 2003