Krithia: The Forgotten Anzac Battle of Gallipoli

(Paperback, Large Print Edition)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The Second Battle of Krithia has existed largely in the shadows of the bigger Gallipoli story. It is, however, one of the most poignant and tragic tales of World War I. The fascinating story has been brought to light at last by bestselling military historian Mat McLachlan, author of The Cowra Breakout.

In May 1915 during World War I, British units tried to capture the village of Krithia on the southern tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. Australian and New Zealand units were sent to reinforce the British. On 8 May, the Anzac troops took part in a bloody battle near Krithia. Advancing across a featureless plain in broad daylight, with no idea where the Turkish defenders were, the Anzacs came under a hail of machine-gun and rifle fire. The Australians managed to advance, but got nowhere near the village and dug in well short of their objective. The New Zealanders on their left fared no better. By the end of the day, over 1800 Anzac troops had been killed or wounded.

Supported by first-hand accounts and oral history, Krithia features the stories of a number of Australians, New Zealanders and Turks - some who survived, some who didn't. The battle of Krithia is a tale of bravery and sacrifice, and a vivid portrait of men doing their best under hellish conditions. It's a great Australian story that hasn't been told - until now.

Author Bio

Mat McLachlan is one of Australia's leading battlefield historians and media presenters in the history space. He is also the author of Walking with the Anzacs, Gallipoli: The Battlefield Guide and The Cowra Breakout, and the founder of Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours, which sends thousands of Australians to visit battlefields around the world each year.

As a media presenter, Mat is a regular on TV and radio and in print. He produces and hosts three of the leading history podcasts in Australia: Living History, BattleWalks and Pete & Gary's Military History. He appears regularly as a history expert on all major Australian television and radio networks, and reaches over five million viewers on YouTube each year.