56 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 First World War THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN Damn the dardanelles: this will be our grave During this six-day tour to Turkey we will visit and examine the main aspects of the Gallipoli campaign: the naval assault, the problems of landing against defended beaches at Cape Helles, the command, control and communication issues, the miracle that was ANZAC, the Turkish perspective, the conditions at Gallipoli, the Suvla Bay fiasco and discuss whether it was all worthwhile. All this is set against the exotic backdrop of Turkish history, culture, scenic beauty and cuisine - all of which we will have ample opportunity to explore. There are further opportunities to soak up the culture with our optional two-day extension to Istanbul with a guided tour of this beguiling and bustling city at the cross-roads of Europe and Asia. IStanbul 2 day extension (Local guides, Bed & Breakfast only). Day 6 - Istanbul. Drive to Istanbul and our centrally located hotel for two nights. Spend the afternoon at leisure. Day 7 - Sultanahment. A full day guided exploration of the imperial quarter of Istanbul including the extraordinary Haghia Sophia, the imperial Topkapi Palace, the graceful Blue Mosque and the enchanting Grand Bazaar. Day 8 - Home. A morning visit to the Turkish Military museum before a return flight from Istanbul to London. 30 April - 5 May 2018 6 days (2 day optional extension) with Dr Bruce Cherry Activity Level 2 Essentials Return flights from London, 4 star hotels, all meals with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour price: £1795 Single supplement: £120 Deposit: £175 Price without flights: £1545 --------------------------------------------------- Tour price with extension: £2075 Single supplement: £220 Deposit: £200 Price without flights: £1825 GallipoliwasthesceneofoneofthegreatAllied failures of the First World War. In attempting to take Turkey out of the war, the assault on the Dardanelles ended in disastrous failure following a campaign that lasted from April 1915 to January 1916. The campaign saw some thirteen British and Empire divisions involved in a struggle against twenty Turkish divisions, with a total cost of 500,000 casualties. Day 1 - Arrival. A mid-morning flight from London sees us arrive in Istanbul late afternoon. We take the long journey towards the peninsula stopping en route for dinner before reaching our Cannakale hotel, our base for the duration of the tour. Day 2 - Naval and Amphibious Operations. This morning, following a detailed examination of the Turkish coastal defences from Kilitbahir to the hugely impressive nationalTurkishmemorial,wevisittheFrench- held sector before moving on to the 25th April landing beaches – S, V, W, X and Y Beaches; each with its own poignant story, including the ill-fated SS Clyde landings at V Beach, and the “six VCs before breakfast” won at W beach by the Lancashire Fusiliers. We’ll also spend some quiet time at the Helles Memorial for the Missing. Returning to Çanakkale for dinner in a harbour-side restaurant. Day 3 – ANZAC. Following a fairly early start, we follow the coast road before turning off to ANZAC. The day’s highlights include the museum at Gaba Tepe and Anzac Cove; a climb up to Plugge’s Plateau, scene of fierce fighting, with its overview of ANZAC Cove, and key features such as Razor Back and Shrapnel Valley; Lone Pine Ridge, where seven VCs were won; and tour one of the many front- line ANZAC positions, such as Johnstone’s Jolly and Quinn’s Post. We visit the important sites of the August offensive such Sari Bair, Walker’s Ridge, the Gurkhas battle for Hill ‘Q’ and the Nek, the site of the ill-fated attack of the Australian Light Horse, immortalised in the film ‘Gallipoli’. At the end of our full day we cross the Dardenelles back to our hotel in Çanakkale and enjoy a leisurely dinner. Day 4 – Helles Peninsula. We will walk a section of Gully Ravine, perhaps the most atmospheric yet least visited part of the battlefield. Our day will also see us studying the battles around the ‘Vineyard’. We’ll shift our focus to the Turkish perspective visiting some amazing memorials and the small village of Bigali where we find a museum dedicated to Ataturk. Returning to Çanakkale, we complete our day with a visit to the extraordinary naval museum and the Turkish gun positions at Ephez. This is followed again by dinner on the quayside. Day 5 – Suvla Bay. Drive to beautiful Suvla Bay and examine the landings of August 6th 1915 at Nibrunesi Point and the baptism of fire for the Kitchener battalions such as the 6th Green Howards and the King’s Sandringham Company. Depending on weather conditions, we will take a short but telling walk to Lala Baba, or along a stretch of Kiretch Tepe; follow the failed attempt to break out at Hill 10, Chocolate Hill and Green Hill and the subsequent struggle for Scimitar Hill and Hill 60. We’ll also visit a small private museum at the village of Büyükanafarta. Finally we shall examine one of the most successful phases of the operation, the evacuation at Suvla Bay. Return to hotel and a farewell dinner on the harbour-side. Day 6 – Home. Drive to Istanbul to catch our flight to London. ANZAC Cove “Bruce Cherry is an exceptional guide & tries to personalise the tour for everyone. I also appreciated the excellent hotels and food on the tour." Gallipoli Yeomanry