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A media release by the Sydney Morning Herald in October, 2011 has revealed the discovery of a number of artefacts found by an archaeological fieldwork survey on the Gallipoli battlefield. However what is far more exciting for Gallipoli Historians and Tour Guides alike, is the news that the Joint Historical and Archaeological Survey is conducting the first systematic survey of the battlefields of Gallipoli since the First World War.
The vast majority of pilgrims who visit the Gallipoli battlefields, travel along the route which follows the 1915 front line – as they negotiate the road from Lone Pine up to The Nek and Chunuk Bair. However, this part of the battlefield is usually examined from the comfort of a cramped tourist bus at a speed of 40 kilometres per hour. Hardly an environment condusive to a learning Gallipoli experience.
However, anybody who as walked the battlefields between the 400 Plateau (taking in Lone Pine and Johnston’s Jolly) and Quinn’s Post Cemetery has witnessed the almost continuous, shallow depressions in the ground which mark the once deep trenchlines; that formed the front line along MacLaurin’s Hill.
IMAGE RIGHT: The shallow remains of trenches at Johnston’s Jolly on the 400 Plateau. This portion of trenchline is perhaps the most visited by Gallipoli tourists, due to the easy viewing of an Australian tunnel which ran forward towards the Turkish lines.
Whilst most tour buses stop briefly at Johnston’s Jolly where the trenches are quite clear, you need to leave the roadway and venture up onto the lip of the ridge to fully understand how perilous this position was during the Gallipoli campaign. Taking in locations such as Courtney’s Post and Steele’s Post; it is also important to cross the road and walk the position of German Officer’s Trench. For the vast majority of these trenches simply are not visible from a bus or the roadway.
IMAGE LEFT: Quinn’s Post as viewed from the Turkish side of “No man’s land” at the knoll, known to the ANZACS as German Officer’s Trench. A small portion of the roadway is visible (the road being the 1915 ‘No man’s Land’). Behind the road is Quinn’s Post Cemetery and the stonework behind the cemetery (see the tall, tower like structure) is the area which was known as “The Chessboard” due to the Turkish trenches which criss-crossed the area). Malone’s Terraces are hidden from view.
In August 2011, Gallipoli Historical Tours escorted a small group of amatuer historians who took the effort to walk the hills and gullies which reveal the true nature of the Gallipoli landscape. In fact, it appears that this small group was the only party of Australians who travelled to the peninsula, specifically for the August Offensive annivesary. To stand within the confines of ‘The Nek’ cemetery in the pre-dawn of the 7th of August; and imagine those horrific few minutes when the men of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade went “over the top” was a memorable experience. Equally humbling was to stand at Lone Pine and observe a minutes silence at 5.30pm on the 6th of August.
Described as one of the most significant finds made by the Joint Historical and Archaeological Survey was the terraces described as Malone’s Terraces in the area at Quinn’s Post. William MALONE was the commander of the Wellington Infantry Battalion, NZEF (New Zealand Expeditionary Force). The New Zealanders relieved the Australian troops at Quinn’s Post in June 1915 and Malone was so appalled by the condition of the post, that he set to the task of “tidying things up” and improving the position.
IMAGE RIGHT: The area of Quinn’s Post, referred to as Malone’s Terraces. This photograph was taken from down inside Monash Valley, looking up towards where the terraces were dug in. The terrace area is to the right of the photo, below where the skyline dips down to form a small ‘V’. Whilst it is difficult to visualize from this photo, the incline is very steep and the terraces are no longer clear, due to massive erosion which is now scrub covered.
The press release by the Sydney Morning Herald on the 4th of October, 2011 indicates that the terraces were thought to have been lost. However, the location of these trenches has never been forgotten. It is clearly recorded in Volume 1 of C.E.W. Bean’s Official History of Australia in the The War of 1914-1918. The terraces were hidden in folds of the ridge line which afforded protection from observation and Turkish fire being directed from the high ground of Baby 700 and ‘The Chessboard’. Every nook and cranny on the Second Ridge which faced to the south, became a living space for the garrisons at Quinn’s Post.
The press release also indicates that the Joint Historical and Archaeological Survey team uncovered more than a thousand metres of trenches, dugouts and tunnel openings. Gallipoli Historical Tours will follow this “discovery” with great interest and it is hoped that the survey will be able to correlate this survey with the 1915 Trench Maps that are on hand at the Australian War Memorial.
IMAGE LEFT: An allied .303 casing, embedded in the steep valley wall below Courtney’s Post. In August 2011, Gary Traynor from Gallipoli Historical Tours negotiated the rear of the ANZAC positions from Courtney’s Post through to Malone’s Terraces at Quinn’s Post. The going was steep to the extreme and was barely negotiable, due to the sheer wall of Monash Valley. Any terrace works have long since eroded into the valley.
The survey team, said to be made up of 17 eminent archaeologists, historians and researchers from Australia, New Zealand and Turkey – uncovered a large number of relics and artefacts depicting life for the ANZACS on the battlefield. It is indicated that these items were handed to a local museum for preservation. During our August Offensive battlefield tour, it was revealed that the old museum at Gaba Tepe was closed and a new building was under construction. Hopefully, when the museum reopens – it will not only house the old collection of artefacts which were recovered locally, but will be bolstered with some recent finds.
IMAGE RIGHT: Monash Valley below Quinn’s Post during a visit in 1990 for the 75th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing. It is a sad fact that due to the erosion of the steep hillsides, bones are constantly being uncovered. The whole peninsula could be regarded as one long grave. NOTE: These bones were respectfully re-buried.
A team spokesman, Professor Antonio Sagona indicated to the Sydney Morning Herald that the complexity of trenches in and around Quinn’s Post is so dense that they would be difficult to map using even modern day techniques. Minister for Veteran Affairs, Mr Warren Snowden indicated that this part of the Gallipoli battlefield has never been studied in detail through modern archaeological survey methods. Hopefully this will reveal to the Gallipoli historian, what has been obscured through a combination of roadworks, the construction of the Quinn’s Post Cemetery and through general erosion. Their method of survey was said to be “non-invasive, advanced mapping using GPS technology which records positions accurate to within 15 centimetres”.
IMAGE LEFT: Quinn’s Post Cemetery on the right, with Dead Man’s Ridge in the centre and Pope’s Hill to the left (below the line of pine trees on the skyline). The pine trees actually mark the vicinity of The Nek.
All of this work can only result in a better understanding of the Quinn’s Post locality, which is more than just a cemetery on the side of the steep ridgeline.
Please CLICK HERE to view the original press release from the ABC.
Wish to visit the Gallipoli Battlefields? PleaseCLICK HERE to view the Gallipoli Historical Tours face book page to see images of our 2011 August Offensive tour.
