Krithia
Encyclopedia
Krithia is a small Turkish village in the Eceabat District
of
Çanakkale Province
, Turkey
, about 4 miles from the tip of the Gelibolu
Peninsula.
During the Gallipoli campaign
, the village was an objective of the first day of the landing, 25 April 1915. It was never reached. Over the following months, Turkish defenders successfully repulsed several assaults by the invading British and French troops.
First Battle of Krithia
Even more than the Anzacs, British and French forces suffered disastrously on their earlier landing, at Cape Helles, at the foot of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Fifteen Victoria Cross medals were awarded in the first two days but a huge number of troops were killed-in one British battalion, 70 per cent of men were either killed or wounded-and large amounts of supplies and ammunition were lost. General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, determined that the British and French should try to take two strategic inland points-the village of Krithia and a neighbouring hill, Achi Baba-from where they could push north, removing the Turks from the high country and joining up with the Anzacs. The allies were sent into battle on 28 April 1915. Turkish forces under the German commander General Liman von Sanders (who also held the Turkish rank of Field Marshal, conferred in August 1914) resisted strongly. Allied planning was uncoordinated and the attacks poorly led. The allies suffered heavy losses and were forced to abandon the attack after 10 hours.
Eceabat
Eceabat, formerly Maydos , is a town and district of Çanakkale Province in the Marmara region of Turkey, located on the eastern shore of the Gelibolu Peninsula, on the Dardanelles Strait. According to the 2010 census, population of the district is 9,154 of which 5,380 live in the town of Eceabat...
of
Çanakkale Province
Çanakkale Province
Çanakkale Province is a province of Turkey, located in the northwestern part of the country. It takes its name from the town of Çanakkale.Like Istanbul, Çanakkale province has a European and an Asian part. The European part is formed by the Gallipoli peninsula, while the Asian part is largely...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, about 4 miles from the tip of the Gelibolu
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
Peninsula.
During the Gallipoli campaign
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
, the village was an objective of the first day of the landing, 25 April 1915. It was never reached. Over the following months, Turkish defenders successfully repulsed several assaults by the invading British and French troops.
See also
- Battle of KrithiaBattle of KrithiaDuring the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, several battles were fought near the village of Krithia. The village was an objective of the first day of the landing, 25 April 1915. Over the following months, invading British Empire and French troops, who had landed near Cape Helles at the end of the...
First Battle of Krithia
Even more than the Anzacs, British and French forces suffered disastrously on their earlier landing, at Cape Helles, at the foot of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Fifteen Victoria Cross medals were awarded in the first two days but a huge number of troops were killed-in one British battalion, 70 per cent of men were either killed or wounded-and large amounts of supplies and ammunition were lost. General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, determined that the British and French should try to take two strategic inland points-the village of Krithia and a neighbouring hill, Achi Baba-from where they could push north, removing the Turks from the high country and joining up with the Anzacs. The allies were sent into battle on 28 April 1915. Turkish forces under the German commander General Liman von Sanders (who also held the Turkish rank of Field Marshal, conferred in August 1914) resisted strongly. Allied planning was uncoordinated and the attacks poorly led. The allies suffered heavy losses and were forced to abandon the attack after 10 hours.