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09th January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

Shortly after midnight soldiers begin to leave the front line trenches.

By 1.30 am the first of the front line trenches are arriving at the evacuation beaches.

By 4 am the final troops have been taken from V beach and explosive charges are fired so as to destroy the stores and ammunitions that the allies have abandoned.

The evacuation of Gallipoli by allied forces is now complete and the campaign there ended.

Nearly half a million allied troops had taken part in operations at Gallipoli, and Irish troops had served there right through the campaign. The allies lost 142,000 men while the Turks lost 130,000. Between those Irishmen who served in British or ANZAC units it is estimated that 4,000 of them never went home and their remains lie in Gallipoli. 

07th January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

The wind of recent days finally dies down and the evacuation can continue fully.

Overnight 3,022 men had been successfully evacuated.

In the afternoon the Turkish artillery begins a heavy bombardment of the front lines. The shelling causes 150 casualties.

This is followed by a Turkish attack on the trenches at Gully Ravine but the attack is repulsed. 

06th January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

British engineers start setting mines in tunnels across the front at Helles in preparation for detonation during the final stages of the evacuation.

Turkish plane attacks allied HQ at Imbros.

British artillery spends the afternoon shelling Turkish positions.

05th January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

Increased Turkish troop activity at Gully Ravine overnight.

Evacuation again hampered by heavy winds. Overnight only 586 men had been evacuated due to the weather.

Throughout the day there is heavy shelling of British positions at Helles. With the ever reducing number of artillery guns the British response is muted.

04th January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

Overnight the Turks concentrate their artillery fire on the beaches of Helles.

Heavy Turkish artillery targets W Beach at Helles causing casualties.

In the evening the Turks open fire at Gully Ravine.

The evacuation is delayed as gales in the area make the water too stormy for the ships to safely move close to shore.

The British follow the model from the evacuation of ANZAC and Suvla and begin observing quiet period so that the Turks become used to a lack of activity. 

03rd January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

Through the night the beaches at Helles where the evacuation is focused is shelled by the Turks.

Despite the shelling over 2,500 men were evacuated overnight.

02nd January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

After midnight the Munster Fusiliers leave the reserve trenches and march to V Beach for embarkation.

At 4 am the Dublin Fusiliers embark from V Beach. To board the ships that will take them away from Gallipoli they have to march through the River Clyde on which they had initially landed on 25 April.

Turkish artillery attacks continue throughout the day and are again described as particularly heavy.

01st January 2016

7:00 - 2016

Today at Gallipoli

The level of Turkish artillery activity increases all along the Helles front. The beaches seem a particular target, but still nothing suggests that the Turks are aware of the evacuation.

In the evening a storm blows up and the ongoing evacuation is held up for a few hours.

31st December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

Along the whole of the front the British let off brief volleys of intense fire (five rounds by each man) so that the Turks are unaware of the steady reduction in numbers as the evacuation continues.

The last French troops at Helles are evacuated and their positions filled by British troops. The French involvement in Gallipoli concludes. The campaign, which has involved 42,000 men from France and her colonies has resulted in 15,000 French deaths.

30th December 2015

7:00 - 2015

Today at Gallipoli

During the day the two sides exchange artillery fire at Helles.

The evacuation process continues with the reserve positions at Gully Ravine being emptied out.

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