The Helles Memorial stands on the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, a tall obelisk visible to ships passing through the Dardanelles. It marks the Cape Helles landings of 25 April 1915 and acts as both a battle memorial and a place of remembrance.
While the ANZAC sector draws most visitors, the Helles area tells the story of the British, French and Indian troops who fought at the foot of the peninsula.
The Cape Helles landings of 1915
At dawn on 25 April 1915, British and allied troops came ashore on a series of beaches around Cape Helles, code-named S, V, W, X and Y. The landings at V and W Beach were especially costly.
The fighting here ground into the same stalemate that defined the whole campaign, with repeated attempts to push inland towards the village of Krithia failing at heavy cost.
Who the Helles Memorial commemorates
The memorial honours the Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Gallipoli campaign and have no known grave, as well as those lost or buried at sea. Thousands of names are inscribed on its panels.
It also serves as the place where the wider campaign is formally remembered for the Commonwealth forces.
Visiting the Helles Memorial today
The memorial sits in a quiet, windswept setting overlooking the entrance to the Dardanelles. Nearby beaches and cemeteries can be combined into a southern-sector visit.
Because it is at the far tip of the peninsula, Helles is usually included on two-day itineraries rather than short ANZAC-focused day tours.
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