This is a symbolic cemetery in memory of the legendary 57th Regiment, with the names of many of its fallen soldiers chosen randomly to appear either on the headstones or on plaques on the surrounding walls.
During the advance of the 57th Regiment, its mountain battery, positioned at
the waterbed area was firing accurately on the Australians holding Baby 700
and the 57th. managed to push back those advancing on battleship hill.
Translated from
"The Çanakkale War - the homeland is beyond the trenches", (Istanbul 2006),
Gürsel Göncü-Şahin Aldoğan, p.
42
Mustafa Kemal manages to interpret these reports correctly : If the enemy is
making for the heights, this is to be a real point of departure, a big
attack. He therefore sends the entire 57th Regiment instead of one batallion
as advised by his superior, Colonel Halil Sami, commander of the 9th
Division- towards the ridges West of Kocadere village to meet the enemy. At
07h45, Mustafa Kemal, sets off at the head of his troops and orders Major
Hussein Avni, commander of the 57th Regiment, to follow shortly thereafter
with the 3rd batallion of the Regiment. The Regiment approaches the front
from the valleys East of Chunuk Bair and moves on swiftly to the summit. Upon
arrival the 2nd Battalion, commanded by captain Ata Efendi, immediately
followed by the 1st batallion, commanded by Captain Zeki Efendi, start moving
forwards (from the landward side of Chunuk Bair) over a distance of 600 metres
to attack the enemy who is now on battleship hill. It is 10h24.
translated from "The Çanakkale War - the homeland is beyond the trenches",
(Istanbul 2006), Gürsel Göncü-Şahin Aldoğan, p.
41-42.
It is at this moment in time that Mustafa Kemal pronounced his now famous
order, :
I
do not order you to attack, I order you to die! In the time which passes until
we die, other troops and commanders can take our place.
Those who
visit the 57th Regiment or the Kesik Dere Cemeteries should remember that the
car park next to site was built on top of Turkish front lines trenches and
those who fell in them.
"Gallipoli Battlefield Guide", (Istanbul 2006), Gürsel Göncü & Şahin Aldoğan,
p.47
I will die for this country, but please do not bury
in any cemetery different from my comrades just because I'm a Christian. I
want to be with you in death as I was in life.
Supposedly words spoken by
Captain Doctor
Dimitroyati
Regimental doctor of the 57th Regiment- a Rum (*) from Istanbul.
(*) a Rum is an Ottoman Empire subject but of Greek origin.
At the northern end
of the cemetery there is a three tiered far-eastern style monument; near the
entrance a statue of the last known surviving Turkish veteran of the campaign.
Hüseyin Kaçmaz, who died in 1994; and a relief depicting the regiment's counter
attack on April 25.
... Just below the symbolic cemetery there is a 200 metre long parking lot,
built in 2004, which unfortunately covers the entire original trench network.
"Gallipoli Battlefield Guide", (Istanbul 2006), Gürsel Göncü & Şahin Aldoğan,
p.49
This website has been prepared by
the first "hotel de charme" on the Gallipoli peninsula
The 57th Regiments second counter attack started around 16h00/16h30, simultaneously with the one of the 27th Regiment along the Lone Pine Johnstons Jolly German officers Trench line. The 57th Regiment had suffered heavy casualties during the first attack in the morning, the 2nd battalion was nearly wiped out, but by now was rein-