First Battle of Krithia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids First Battle of Krithia
Part of the First World War
Map of the Helles front in 1915
Date 28 April 1915 Location Helles, Gallipoli, Adrianople Vilayet, Ottoman Empire Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  France	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Aylmer Hunter-Weston	Halil Sami Bey
Strength
19 battalions, 13,500 men	9 battalions
Casualties and losses
British: c. 2,000 French: 1,001	2,378 killed

The First Battle of Krithia was an important fight during World War I. It happened on April 28, 1915, in a place called Gallipoli (now in Turkey). This battle was the first big try by the Allied forces (like Britain and France) to push forward. They wanted to capture the village of Krithia and a nearby hill called Achi Baba.

However, the Ottoman soldiers defended their land very well. The Allied attack failed because of bad planning and communication. The soldiers were also very tired and discouraged. This battle showed that the war in Gallipoli would be much harder than the Allies expected.

Before the Battle: Setting the Scene

Landing at Cape Helles

On April 25, 1915, British soldiers landed on five beaches at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. This area was part of the Ottoman Empire. The main landings faced strong resistance from Ottoman defenders. Many British soldiers were hurt or killed.

Another landing happened at 'Y' Beach. Here, the soldiers met no resistance at first. But they didn't have clear orders. They didn't move forward or dig defensive positions. This was a missed chance for the British.

Missed Opportunities

The village of Krithia and the hill of Achi Baba were not well-defended on the first day. The British could have captured them easily. But they didn't. When Ottoman soldiers arrived, the British had to leave 'Y' Beach.

After tough fighting, the British secured their main landing spots. French soldiers also joined them. By April 27, the Allied forces had moved about 2 miles (3.2 km) up the peninsula. They were ready to attack Krithia the next day.

Underestimating the Enemy

The British thought the Ottoman forces were not very strong. They believed they faced two full divisions of soldiers. In reality, the Ottomans were outnumbered three to one. They had only two smaller groups of soldiers. These Ottoman soldiers were fighting bravely to slow down the Allied advance.

The Battle Begins: A Tough Fight

The Attack Plan

The battle started around 8:00 a.m. on April 28. Warships fired shells at the Ottoman positions. The plan was for the French to stay on the right side. The British would then swing around. They aimed to capture Krithia and attack Achi Baba from the south and west.

This plan was very complicated. It was not clearly explained to the British commanders. The main general, Aylmer Hunter-Weston, stayed far from the front lines. This meant he couldn't control the attack as it happened.

Challenges on the Battlefield

At first, the Allied soldiers moved forward easily. But then they met small groups of Ottoman resistance. Some parts of the Allied line stopped. Other parts kept moving. This caused gaps and left soldiers open to attack from the sides.

As the troops moved further, the land became very difficult. They faced four large ravines. These deep valleys ran from Achi Baba down towards the cape.

Gully Ravine and Gurkha Bluff

On the far left, the British ran into Gully Ravine. This area was wild and confusing. Two British battalions entered the ravine. They were stopped by an Ottoman machine gun post near 'Y' Beach.

No more progress was made in this ravine for a while. Later, on the night of May 12/13, a group of 6th Gurkha Rifles captured the post. They had to climb a very steep 300-foot (91 m) slope. This spot became known as 'Gurkha Bluff'.

Ottoman Resistance and Retreat

The British soldiers were exhausted and losing hope. Many of their leaders were out of touch. They could not push forward against the strong Ottoman defense. In some places, Ottoman counter-attacks pushed the British back to where they started. By 6:00 p.m., the attack was called off.

Aftermath: A Costly Lesson

About 14,000 Allied soldiers fought in this battle. Around 2,000 British and 1,001 French soldiers were killed or wounded. The Ottoman forces also suffered heavy losses, with 2,378 killed.

This battle was not as big or long as later fights. But it was very important. It proved that the British idea of a quick victory was wrong. The Ottoman soldiers were not easy to defeat.

Helles became a place of many tough battles. Success was measured by gaining just 100 yards (91 m) or capturing one trench. The First Battle of Krithia showed that the war in Gallipoli would be a long and difficult struggle.