Battle of Krithia Vineyard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Krithia Vineyard |
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| Part of First World War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Ottoman Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Br-Gen. H.E. Street |
 Trommer Paşa Fevzi Çakmak |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 4 Divisions | 6 Divisions | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4,120 total | 7,510 total | ||||||
The Battle of Krithia Vineyard was a fight that happened during the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War. It took place from August 6 to 13, 1915. This battle was meant to be a small action by the British forces at a place called Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula.
The main goal was to distract the Ottoman (Turkish) army. This would help a bigger attack, called the August Offensive, which was about to start. However, the British commander, Brigadier General H.E. Street, ordered many difficult attacks. These attacks led to many losses and only gained a small piece of land known as "The Vineyard."
Why the Battle Happened
The main British commander at Helles had left in July. His replacement, Lieutenant General Francis Davies, arrived in early August. But he had not yet taken full control of the army.
So, another officer, Brigadier General H.E. Street, planned and led this battle. The idea was to create a distraction at Helles and another place called Anzac. This would make the Ottoman army focus on these areas. It would stop them from sending more soldiers to where the main British attack was planned.
The Battle Begins
The British army did not have enough large guns (artillery) for a big attack. So, they split their attack into two parts. On the afternoon of August 6, the 88th Brigade attacked. This group was part of the British 29th Division. They had some help from another group called the 1/5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment.
The next morning, on August 7, two more groups attacked. These were the 125th and 127th Brigades from the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. The British forces were up against four Ottoman divisions. Three of these Ottoman groups were fresh and ready to fight. The Ottomans also had two more divisions waiting as backup.
Fighting for the Vineyard
The 88th Brigade managed to capture some Ottoman trenches. Trenches are long, narrow ditches where soldiers hide and fight. But the Ottoman 30th Regiment quickly fought back. They took their trenches back from the British.
The British attacked again and once more captured some trenches. However, the Ottomans counter-attacked again and pushed them out. The British could not hold onto any land. The 88th Brigade suffered heavy losses, with 1,905 soldiers killed, wounded, or missing. This meant that two-thirds of their original strength was gone.
On the morning of August 7, the 42nd Division attacked. One of their groups, the 127th Brigade, broke through the Ottoman lines. But the Ottoman army quickly fought back and forced them to retreat.
The Ottoman forces kept attacking from August 7 to August 9. The fighting in this area continued until August 13. After that, the fighting slowly stopped. This part of the Helles front remained a very active and dangerous place for the rest of the campaign.
What Happened After
Two special awards for bravery, called the Victoria Cross, were given for actions during this battle. Lieutenant William Thomas Forshaw and Private David Ross Lauder received these awards.
In the first 24 hours of fighting, the British lost 3,469 soldiers. This includes 134 officers and 3,335 other soldiers. The total British losses for the whole battle were probably more than 4,000 soldiers. The Ottoman army also had many losses, estimated to be around 7,500 soldiers.
The battle did not achieve its main goal. It was supposed to keep Ottoman soldiers busy at Helles. But as early as August 7, Ottoman groups were being sent from Helles to the main fighting area. This meant the distraction did not work as planned.
