New Light Horse Blog

[Bill Woerlee]

The Colonel Hughes account of the Nek

Immediately after the battle at the Nek concluded and the trenches were prepared for a counter attack, Colonel wrote his post battle report. It is a most peculiar account which does not accord at all with the available evidence. The account will speak for itself and says a great deal about the man who wrote this despatch.

For those with a real interest in this issue, here is the address of the item:

http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Ho ... f-the-nek/

I found the account quite troubling in the items that he missed.

Cheers

Bill

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/

[Bill Woerlee]

Mates

Hill 60 - Kayacikagili (Bombatepe) Battle, 27 August 1915

I have added some newly discovered information to the blog regarding Hill 60 from the Australian files. This may be found at:

http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Ho ... id=1105112

I am wondering if our Turkish friends could fill in a bit of detail about the Order of Battle for the 33rd Infantry Regiment who did most of the fighting.

In addition, I notice the 4th Battalion of the 41st Regiment involved as well - I was under the impression that this was a Gendarme Battalion in Anatolia. Just wondering if we can get some further information on this formation as it participated in the battle.

Cheers

Bill

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/

[glaswegian]

Here is photo i took across frae the hill 60 cemetery,this place is where another scottish hero fought and died,this soldier graduated from the same uni as me,his name was FREDERICK CHARLES YOUDEN

[glaswegian]

1

[glaswegian]

Hill 60

[glaswegian]

a view of the suvla area frae damakjelik bair

[glaswegian]

a looking across HILL 60 from kaiajik dere

[Tosun Saral]

A short history of 11st Div.
11st Infantry Divizion commanded by Col. Rafet Bey joined the 2nd Kirte battle on May 6th 1915 with 2 battalions. Rafet Bey later commanded the 7th Inf. Division during 3rd Kirte Battle on June 4-6 1915

During that battle Staff Maj. Sükrü commanded the 11th Inf. Div. His CoS was Staff Capt. Şemsi
- 127th Regiment: Lt. Col. Hasan Lütfi
- 4th Regiment: Lt. Col. Nazif

During the 1st Kerevizdere Battle June 21-22nd 1915 Col Rafet Bey commanded the Divizion.
CoS: Staff Lt. Col. Şükrü Naili (Lt. Gen. Gökberk)
- 33rd Regiment: Lt. Col. Şevki
-126th: Lt. Col. Mustafa Şevki
- 11st Artillary Regiment. Maj. Emin

During Zıgındere Battle (June 28th- July 3rd 1915 Col Rafet Bey commanded the Divizion.
CoS: Staff Lt. Col. Şükrü Naili (Lt. Gen. Gökberk)
- 33rd Regiment: Lt. Col. Irfan, Lt. Col. Sabri
-126th: Lt. Col. Mustafa Şevki
-127th:Lt. Col. Hasan Lütfi
- 16th Regt from 6th Div. :Lt. Col. Hakkı
-124th Regt. from 1st Div. :-

During 2nd Kerevizdere battle Luly 12-23 1915 Col Rafet Bey commanded the Divizion.
CoS: Staff Lt. Col. Şükrü Naili (Lt. Gen. Gökberk)

Beginning from middle of July 11st Inf. Div. begun to move to the order of Asia Group.

[glaswegian]

chocolate hill and green hill,hetman chair,

[glaswegian]

W hills

[Bill Woerlee]

Mates

The blog is now serialising the diary of the Turkish Officer in Command of 1st Battalion, 33rd Infantry Regiment up until his death, 30 April 1915. Here is the address of the first part:

http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Ho ... 15-part-1/

This was the same battalion and regiment that fought against the Allied forces at Hill 60.

Again, it is always a good thing to see the war from both sides of the trenches. It gives a person a better view.

Cheers

Bill

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/

[turcoscot]

Dear Bill,
Your work to ensure that the Turkish perspective is captured is very much appreciated; many of the Western histories of the war I have read have little to no appreciation for the Turkish situation, and the extensive Turkish documents have not been used as much as they could, probably due to difficulty of access and the alphabet issue. When a balanced, collaborative perspective is used in the research, some long-standing issues can be clarified, as has been the case in the episode of the famous "Vanishing Norfolks" battle on August 12, 1915 at Suvla, which the paper by Tim Travers and Birten Celik has, to my mind, largely laid to rest. The full citation for that paper, by the way, is

"Not one of them ever came back": What happened to the 1/5 Norfolk Battalion on 12 August 1915 at Gallipoli, The Journal of Military History 66, April 2002, pp.389-406.

Colonel Erickson's books are also a major step in the right direction in this regard, as is the recent book on the medical aspects of the Ottoman Army by Halit Ozdemir, both of which I recommend highly.

Thanks again mate,

Reha

[Bill Woerlee]

Reha

G'day mate and thanks for your encouragement.

I will also point out that the good people who own and run the Axis forum have been encouraging in this enterprise. Clear sighted people realise that the enterprises are complimentary rather than in competition. Each adds to the other making both sites strong. So on that basis I have a great deal to thank the owners and Peter H for their clear thinking and enterprising attitudes. It is this attitude that makes for an environment which brings out the best in people.

Just to add onto the diary, I have produced a very inadequate Roll of Honour regarding the men of the 1/33 IR who died at Gallipoli during the period of the diary. Sadly, these are the only names I can find. If others with better skills in this area than me can uncover further names to add to the list, I would be grateful.

The Roll of Honour is at:

http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Ho ... pril-1915/

I make this reflective note: "For those of Turkish origin, the production of these names is part of a belief to democratise the national sentiment. It has only been over the last decade that the notion of the individual sacrifice has become important and is being reflected accordingly. The Turkish General Staff has only recently liberalised access to archives and produced a list of war dead from 1878 to today called Sehitlerimiz. It is inadequate as a document but it is from this source that I have compiled this list. The inadequacy is highlighted by the lack of names on the following list which are the only names that can be found with any certainty."

I have a strong belief that Turkey has a role to play as a nation that can profess democratic values in an Islamic context, both of which are complimentary rather than antithetical. By promoting democratic moderation of religious and national values, we win the fight against fundamentalism in a way far more harmonising than through guns and bullets, it is through the hearts and minds. I make no apologies for this attitude. I have too many good Muslim friends who are reflective of this new wave and whose values should be affirmed and encouraged by the broader community. We share coffee, thoughts and values. We are a common humanity.

That is the underlying philosophy. This forum is a good place for these values to be exercised and I thank all our Turkish friends who participate for helping to promote these values.

Cheers

Bill

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/

[Tosun Saral]

Capt. Sadık Efendi son of Haci Emin commander of 1st battalion, 33rd Inf. Regiment, 11st Div. KIA July 14th 1331 (July 17th 1915)
source: Harb Mecmuası (The War Magazine)

May he rest in light.
So mote it be!

[Tosun Saral]

Lt. Col. Ahmet Şevki Bey commander of 33rd Infantry Regiment KIA April 16th 1331 (April 29th 1915)

TS's Noata: The picture was shot before Balkan War. He is wearing a uniform before Balkan War.