Cape Helles

The southern most tip of the Dardanelle Peninsula is named Cape Helles. On the morning of the 25th April 1915 British and French forces made five beach landings at Cape Helles as part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula.

In contrast to the landings at Anzac Cove, the British landings at Cape Helles did not go at all well and the dawn landing at 'V' beach was no exception. As the Bazflyers stood on high ground overlooking the beach the defensive opportunities afforded by the surrounding topography were clearly evident. 

Ottoman forces had anticipated a landing. They were well prepared and could not be seen from the beach. Capitulation by British forces meant the landing did not take place until well after dawn. As the British forces prepared to land they saw no evidence of the opposing forces but when the solders approached the beach in open boats rifle fire from the surrounding high ground turned the scene into a blood bath.

    V beach - looking down from the high ground

On that morning off 'V' beach was Lieutenant Colonel Doughty Wylie who at 46 years of age was in command of a group of Royal Fusiliers. Wylie was a seasoned military man. During the Turk Revolution of 1909 he was resident in Mersina as British Consul where he greatly assisted the Ottoman Forces in several encounters and was decorated by the Ottoman Government.

Wylie's involvement in the Helles landing was due to his great knowledge of all things Turkish and fluency in the language. On day two of the landing, with the brigadier general and brigade major both killed, Wylie lead a group of men in an attempt to capture a heavily defended hill. In respect for the Turks he lead the successful advance unarmed carrying only his ceremonial cane. Unfortunately, Wylie was killed in the action. He was posthumously awarded the VC and due to his respect by the Turks, his grave is the only solitary grave on Gallipoli, very near the spot he fell.

There were two woman in Doughty Wylie's life. One of them visited his grave during the campaign becoming the only woman to set foot on Gallipoli during the war. These women and their lives is another fascinating story.....

    Landing at Cape Helles claimed over 6500 allied soldiers killed or wounded