The Gallipoli Experience

From April 25, 1915, to January 9, 1916, troops from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Turkey engaged in a bitter struggle for the Gallipoli peninsula. The Allied forces wanted to forge a passage through the Dardanelles in order to create a sea route to Russia and capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople. Despite having more troops and being better supplied, the Allies suffered devastating losses in the face of the brave and resourceful Turks. This book tells the story of this campaign in a unique and comprehensive manner, through three authors who expertly describe their country’s role and the impact the conflict had. For the ANZACs Gallipoli was the birthplace of the ANZAC spirit, for the British it was almost the downfall of Winston Churchill, and for the Turks it was a defining moment in their history, becoming the basis of the Turkish War of Independence

Major General Julian Thompson CB OBE served in the Royal Marines for 34 years and commanded the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment during the Falklands War. Since retiring, he has been a visiting professor at King’s College, London. He has written a number of books, including The 1916 Experience and The Second World War in 100 Objects. Dr. Peter Pedersen is an expert in Australian military history. He was a senior historian and head of the research centre at the Australian War Memorial. He has written six books on World War I, and frequently appears on television and radio. Professor Haluk Oral is a Turkish historian. He studied at Istanbul University and Bogaziçi University in Turkey and Simon Fraser University in Canada. He now lecturers at Bogaziçi University. He has written a number of books, including ANZAC 1915 and Gallipoli 1915.