Battle of Krithia Vineyard. 1/6 Bn and 1/7 Bn Manchester Regiment. 7 Aug 1915.
GOOGLE MAPS – centres on Krithia village, now named Alictepe,
The Battle of Krithia Vineyard. 6-13 August 1915, was the fourth attempt to capture Krithia. The offensive was intended as a diversionary action to cover the landings at Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove from the 6 August but developed into much larger scale. The assault failed, only capturing ‘The Vineyard’. British casualties for the battle were over 4000.
1/6 Bn Manchester Regiment. 6 -13 August 1915.
The attempts to capture Krithia on 6 August failed and the 1/6 Bn Manchesters were ordered to renew the assault the next day. On the 7 August, at 7am, the 1/6 Bn Manchester Regiment was in position and waiting for zero hour. At 8.10am the bombardment of Turkish lines started, it lasted for about 1½ hours reaching its crescendo at about 9.10am. The Turks retaliated with their bombardment which caused many casualties among the waiting men. At 9.40am the troops went over, 50 men from C company lead the first wave. The battalion War Diary records that the attack ‘started splendidly but only reached the first Turkish trench 70 yards in front after losing a lot of men on the way’. The second wave then went over, again ‘started splendidly but a tremendous fire was brought to bear on them and very few reached the first trench’. The third wave, this time D company, went over, again ‘started splendidly but was mown down by very heavy fire’. Many of the men fell within 20-40 yards of their start point. By 11am it was clear that the Turkish positions were too strongly held and were also being reinforced. Shortly after the enemy counter attacked and the Manchester’s were forced back and by 11.15 were back in their front line. Casualties were: officers 5 KIA, 2 wounded and 4 missing: ORs 17 KIA, 52 wounded and 59 missing. The battalion was withdrawn to the support lines that evening and were eventually relieved on 12 August.
Troops of 6 Bn Manchester Rgt gathered at Krithia Nullah. (IWM Q69515)
6 Bn Manchester Rgt advancing over open terrain, Third Battle of Krithia (Q 69514)
1/7 Bn Manchester Regiment. 6 -13 August 1915.
The 1/7 Bn Manchesters were involved in the failed attempts on 6 August to capture Krithia. They were been in support to the Worcester Regiment and were ordered forward as reinforcements. Altogether 3 companies went over, all suffered heavy casualties and by the end of the day had been withdrawn. The next day the assault was renewed, this time 1/7 Bn were in the lead battalions. The bombardment started at 8.10am and at 9.40am the attack went over with C and B companies. Turkish machine gun and shell fire rained down on them and the attack soon broke down. Survivors struggled their way back to the start line during the afternoon. The battalion War Diary has no entries for the engagement and the number of casualties is not known,
References and Sources. War Diaries – 1/6Bn & 1/7Bn Manchester Regiment
B&O 1915 Gallipoli. Third Krithia. 1/6Bn & 1/7Bn Manchester Regiment. 3 Aug 1915.
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