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29th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Turks counterattack against British in an attempt to regain the trenches they lost yesterday. The attack is repulsed.

The evacuation process begins in earnest with the 127th Brigade being removed from Gully Ravine and embarked at V Beach.

28th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

HQ at Gallipoli receives orders that Helles will be evacuated.

Evacuation to begin immediately and in two stages. Over the coming days an initial 35,000 men and 127 artillery guns to be removed from Helles. Then, on 8 January, the remaining 17,000 soldiers and 37 guns would be removed.

In the afternoon the British detonate mines under Turkish trenches followed by an attack which results in the Turks losing control of one sector of their front line. 

27th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Daylight sees heavy Turkish shelling of positions around Gully Ravine.

The Inniskilling Fusiliers leave the front lines and go into reserve.

In the afternoon there is a long and sustained Turkish artillery attack on Krithia Nullah and Lone Pine.

26th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Heavy Turkish artillery fire targets Gully Ravine.

British warship responds with a barrage on Turkish positions.

The afternoon is very stormy and operations to land troops and supplies at Helles are postponed. 

25th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

British troops in reserve at Imbros celebrate Christmas with a church service.

Turkish airplanes again drop bombs on British positions at Helles.

Turkish artillery shells positions at Gully Ravine. 

24th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Turkish artillery targets various trenches at Helles during the day.

Occasional Turkish airplane attacks during the day.

23rd December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Quiet day in Helles with only one afternoon attack by the Turks.

Lieutenant General Sir William Robertson appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff with a remit to oversee the Gallipoli campaign. He decides that he will evacuate the Helles zone. 

22nd December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Turks renew their attack at Gully Ravine and just before dawn take control of a front line trench. The counterattack comes quickly from the Dublin Fusiliers who in hand to hand fighting retake the trench.

Units of the British 88th Brigade, who were evacuated from Suvla, land at Helles to provide reinforcements.

21st December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Heavy rain at Helles through the morning leaves some trenches flooded.

Artillery exchanges at Gully Ravine precedes a Turkish attack just after sunset. The Dublin Fusiliers defend their trenches with bayonets in close fighting, and the attack is repulsed.

20th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

By 3.30 am the entire allied force at Suvla has been successfully evacuated.

At ANZAC the evacuation was more complex given how close the allied and Turkish trenches were. The front lines were evacuated through the night, with men walking through the dark to the beach with no illumination and their boots wrapped in cloth to reduce the noise of their footsteps. ANZAC was successfully evacuated of all allied troops by 4 am.

The evacuations had been carried out with no loss of life, and no response from the Turks. It had been initially forecast that the evacuation might cost as many as 5,000 casualties.

Once the last men had been evacuated, the Navy began bombarding the stores that had been gathered on the beach. The shells ignited the stores and a massive fire lit the night sky.

The allied force in Gallipoli was now fully concentrated on the Helles zone and contained approximately 42,000 men. 

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