What Is Gallipoli Campaign?

The Battle of Gallipoli, also known as Gallipoli Campaign, or the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Çanakkale was a campaign of World War I that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula (Gelibolu in modern Turkey) in the Ottoman Empire between April 25, 1915 and January 9, 1916.

After a failed naval attack, the Allies tried to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul) via the Gallipoli Peninsula by land assault.

British, French and their dominions’ troops – including soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, India and Newfoundland – took part in the battle.

They faced months of shelling, sniper fire and dysentery, before abandoning the campaign.

45,000 Allied troops died for no material gain, although the Turkish Army was tied down for eight months.

86,000 Turkish troops died in the Battle of Gallipoli. Commander Mustafa Kemal survived and went on to found modern Turkey.