Chapter 38 – Ali

The Ottoman platoon commanded by Second Lieutenant Ibradili Ibrahim (translates ‘Ibradhim from Ibrad’) Hayreddin in the Fisherman’s Hut area played a significant role in slowing the initial ANZAC landing.

Haluk Oral describes the role of this commander and his platoon in detail in Gallipoli 1915 – Through Turkish Eyes (pp. 45-67). Oral designates the platoon as 1st Platoon, 4th Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment. Other sources (Erickson, Broadbent) designate the company at 8th rather than 4th. Oral states that each platoon was made up of nine squads, with nine rifles in each, and concludes that there were no machine guns available to fire on landing ANZAC troops (pp. 52-54). The Turks withheld fire until the boats were within 200 metres (p. 49). An account by Ibrahim is included stating that he knew he had to reach a position higher than that held by the enemy (p.54)

Harvey Broadbent describes the stand taken by the Ibrahim’s platoon at Fisherman’s Hut in Gallipoli- The Turkish Defence p.46-47. Broadbent describes the platoon as comprising eighty to ninety men, taking a stand at Fisherman’s Hut and No. 1Outpost. Broadbent states that Ibrahim decided it was time to withdraw when he saw bayonets appear above the top of the [no. 1] outpost; enemy naval fire was beginning to find the platoon’s range; he was running low and ammunition and he saw advanced ANZAC units advancing above them to the south on Russell’s Top.

Mesut Uyar states in The Ottoman Defence Against the ANZAC Landing - 25 April 1915 , that each Turkish soldier carried 150 rounds of ammunition, and that an additional 60 rounds per soldier were held nearby as platoon reserves (p. 67).

Charles Bean describes the Turkish defence at the landing in the Fisherman’s Hut area in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol I, pp. 322-330. Map 15 opposite p. 322 shows Turkish trenches on the hill behind Fisherman’s Hut and No.1 Outpost, as occupied by Ibrahim’s platoon at the landing. The hillocks are described on p.322-323 with the hill behind Fisherman’s Hut being 60 feet high, and No. 1 Outpost being 150 feet high. Trenches on the hill behind Fisherman’s Hut are described as probably been dug during the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) with bushes growing in the parapet (pp. 328-329). Four white boats carrying troops from the ANZAC 7th battalion rowed towards Fisherman’s Hut (pp. 324-327). Rifle fire upon these boats was so intense that Bean records “there appeared to be two machine guns and many rifles at work” (p. 327). Of 140 passengers in these four boats, three officers and about thirty-five men crossed the beach unhurt or lightly wounded. “The rest lay in the boats or on the beach dead, dying or grievously wounded.” A second hut inland from Fisherman’s Hut, known as “Shepherd’s hut” is described on p. 323, as overlooking a small paddock, with small rectangular patches of open pasture or cultivation to the north.

The full stretch of coastline covered by the ANZAC landing (“Z” beach, from Gaba Tepe to Fisherman’s Hut) was defended by a single battalion of the 27th Regiment at the time of the landing. This is shown on Map 8. Facing p. 236 of Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 . Harvey Broadbent confirms that this was the 2nd Battalion in Gallipoli- The Turkish Defence p.39.

An ANZAC landing map, AWM reference “G7432G1S65V_1a”, includes a notation across the Fisherman’s Hut and No. 1 Outpost area stating “no entrenchments visible”. This map includes a notation that it is corrected up to 20 April 1915. This implies that the aerial reconnaissance that detected significant freshly made entrenchments to the south of Anzac Cove, did not identify the trenches that hid Ibrahim’s platoon and allowed it to be so effective during the landing. The vegetation growing on the parapet may have contributed to its lack of detection.