Battle of Hill 60 (Gallipoli)
Naval Operations - Ari Burnu - Bright - Krithia I - Krithia II - Krithia III - Zığındere - Sari Bayır - Kirte Baglari - Kanlısırt - Anafartalar - Kılıçbayır - Conk Bayiri - Scimitar Hill - Height 60
The struggle for altitude 60 was the last major attack by the British in the Battle of Gallipoli. He was started on August 21, 1915, coinciding with the attack on Scimitar Hill, the. Suvla from the front of General Frederick Stop Fords IX Corps was attacked.
Height 60, Turkish Kayacik Agili or Bomba Tepe, is a small, 60 -meter high hilltop on the northern end of the Sari- Bair mountain range that dominates the site of the landing at Suvla. Taking these two heights, height 60 and Scimitar Hill also had made possible that the country's troops in the Anzac Cove and Suvla at.
The location
The aim of the Battle of Sari Bayır that began on the night of August 6, the height of Chunuk Bair and 971 had been. This summit was actually conquered by the New Zealand infantry, but had to be abandoned after a successful Turkish counter-attack. The attack at the height of 971 never materialized because the attackers had lost his way and could be kept down by the Turkish defenders.
After the major battles were lost, the British commander concentrated on consolidating their meager successes. Since height 971 was now out of reach, but instead appeared Height 60 as an attainable goal. The attackers belonged mainly to General John Monash 4th Australian Infantry Brigade, which was also the spearhead of the attack made at the level of 971 and now had taken positions in a gully that leads to the level 60 and is now known as Australia Valley. Also involved were the remains of the 29th Indian Brigade, two regiments of Mounted Rifles New Zealand and three British New Army battalions. All units fought well below their normal staffing levels; many soldiers suffering from dysentery.
The battle
On the afternoon of August 21, the Australian 13th and 14th Battalion took the first attack. Without effective artillery support, under enemy fire of height 60 and the adjacent height 100 infantry was decimated. The dry undergrowth caught fire and burned many of the wounded soldiers lying there. At nightfall, it was the Indian brigade managed to cling at the foot of the hill.
On August 22, the attackers were reinforced by the Australian 18th Battalion, which belonged to the newly arrived 2nd Australian Division. The men were in contrast to the ' long-serving ' troops fresh and rested, but inexperienced and - even after Gallipoli standards - poorly equipped. They led an attack with fixed bayonets and lost 383 men.
On August 27, the attack was resumed and the Allies also continued to identify the up slope, but the summit was still in Turkish hands. To reinforce the attacker and the Australians have now been thrown from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, who had already fought at the Nek, in the battle. On August 28, they were able to conquer some Turkish trenches on the summit, but the Turks were able to hold on to the important north side that dominated Suvla.
Attacks and counterattacks continued until August 29, when the offensive was finally canceled.
Aftermath
In the final stages of the struggle for height 60 Lieutenant Hugo Throssell acquired by the Australian 10th Light Horse ( 10th Light Horse Regiment), the Victoria Cross.
The Allied losses during the eight -day struggles amounted to 2,500 men. The Australian 18th Battalion had been reduced to its first use within a period of less than two weeks to one third of its original strength.