NAM.2016-07-22-1

‘C’ Beach, Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, August 8th 1915. Watercolour by Norman Wilkinson CBE PRI ROI RSMA HRWS. Painting shows a horse drawn ambulance, likely belonging to the 10th Irish Division, coming ashore. The artist would have sat on the very lower slopes of the Kirtech Tepe Ridge with Gen Stopford’s HQ just behind him. Visible are Hill 10 and Chocolate Hill and men swimming in the Aegean Sea. Wilkinson made a notable contribution to World War One with the invention of Dazzle Painting, a form of ship camouflage; associated with World War One, Gallipoli (1915-1916). The initial landings at Suvla Bay had taken place on 6 August when Hill 10 was captured by men of the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers. It was on 8th August that one of Hamilton’s Staff came ashore, witnessed the swimmers and commented, ‘Your men seem to be making themselves comfy’ to which one of Stopford’s HQ replied, ‘We expect to be here some time.’ This captures all that was flawed with the Suvla Landings, sadly, whilst the men were swimming the Turkish sniper outpost line was less than a mile inland and the inactivity led to, once again, the Turks seizing the battlefield initiative and stalemate setting in. The 5th Norfolk Regiment landed on this beach on the 10th August. Chanuk Bair was captured by the New Zealand and 29 Indian Brigade earlier on the 8th August and for 24 hours they could see the Dardanelles, the prize. This hill can be seen in the far distance.

World War One, Gallipoli (1915-1916)