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Gallipoli campaign timeline

Gallipoli Campaign Timeline: Key Dates of 1915-1916

A clear month-by-month timeline of the Gallipoli campaign, from the naval attack on the Dardanelles to the final evacuation in January 1916.

8 min read · Last updated May 2024

The Gallipoli campaign unfolded over roughly eleven months, from the first naval moves in early 1915 to the final withdrawal in January 1916. Understanding the sequence of events makes the whole story far easier to follow.

This timeline picks out the turning points so you can see how an attempt to force the Dardanelles became a long, costly stalemate.

February to March 1915: the naval attack

The campaign began as a naval operation. Allied warships tried to force a passage up the Dardanelles, but on 18 March 1915 several were sunk or crippled by mines and shore batteries.

With the fleet unable to break through alone, planners turned to a land invasion to silence the defences from the shore.

25 April 1915: the landings

Allied troops went ashore at ANZAC Cove and around Cape Helles. The Australians and New Zealanders found themselves below steep ridges, while the Helles landings met fierce resistance.

Neither force achieved its first-day objectives, and the campaign quickly settled into trench warfare.

August 1915: the offensive

A renewed push included the Suvla Bay landings and assaults on Chunuk Bair and The Nek. Despite fleeting gains on the heights, the offensive failed to break the deadlock.

After August, the campaign had little realistic prospect of success.

December 1915 to January 1916: the evacuation

As winter set in and casualties mounted, the Allies decided to withdraw. The evacuation, carried out in stages, was the most successful operation of the whole campaign.

By 9 January 1916 the last troops had left, ending the Gallipoli campaign.

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