Kanlı Sırt Kitabesi

I saw now, with something of a shock, standing out near the site of the vanished tree (*) a white obelisk – a monument (Hughes told us) put up by the Turks to mark the spot at which they had stopped the terrific August thrust. Away on the ridges nearly a mile beyond it, at the Nek where also we had been stopped, we could see another monument (and we afterwards noted a third, near North Beach. Obviously the Turks were very proud of their achievement. And, we reflected, those who stopped the invading spearheads on Gallipoli well deserved commemoration as soldiers and patriots.

"Gallipoli Mission", (Crows Nest 1990), Charles W. Bean p. 48-49

(*) the single (lone) dwarf pine tree

From the regimental headquarters at the back of Mortar Ridge you could see clearly. There was alot of dust raised by shells at Kanlı Sırt (*). I could not see through it, but when the bombardment there ceased we hearded infantry fire – a litle- like after thunder you hear the rain beginning; and the observers beside us said, “the English are getting into our trenches”.
Our observation of this bombardment had given us the impression that the trenches subjected to it would not be in a condition to repel the attack- there had been much damage, and heavy loss. At that moment an order arrived by telephone lines from Mustafa Kamal Pasha : I/57th, the battalion of reserve, will move at

The English bombardment preceding the attack at Lone Pine was the heaviest ever. After this barage, which had focused on our frontlines and conducted with great accuracy, the English attacked with many units. Our trenches at Lone Pine were among the most perfect ... they were covered with logs and earth but of course they could not resist the heavy artillery fire and collapsed. As a result many of our men were buried alive.

16th Division Commander Colonel Rüştü quoted in and translated from "History of the Turkish Armed Forces" –Ottoman Era- Turkey during the first world war, Volume V, book 3, p. 334

once to Kanlı Sırt. The battalion was ready to go. I gave the order to move as fast as possible to Kanlı Sırt. On the way, we fixed bayonets; we went in column of route, at the double. While we were going I noticed that all batteries which were at Kemal Yere (Scrubby Knoll, beside Essad Pasha’s headquarter) had concentrated on no-man’s land in front of Kanlı Sırt. I told the leading lieutenant : I am going ahead a bit. Follow me. I’ll meet you in Djemal Dere –that is Owen Gully, dividing the two halves of the 400 plateau, Johnston’s Jolly and Lone Pine. The moment we turned into that valley we came into fire, from your men at the head of it –the valley had always hitherto been safe for the Turks. Near there I met the commander of one of the battalions which had been holding the centre of the Kanlı Sırt Front. His name also was Mustafa Kemal –he was a Kolasi, something between Captain and Major. I asked, “What has happened?” But he was clearly very shocked. He kept on saying, “We’re lost, we’re lost!”

Major Zeki quoted in "Gallipoli Mission" (Crows Nest 1990), Charles E. W. Bean, p. 184-185

(*) Kanlı Sırt (Bloody ridge) is the Turkish name for Lone Pine