Chapter 61 – Jayjay

Alan Moorehead in Gallipoli includes a quote by Ian Hamilton referring to Muslims as “Muhammadans” (p. 298).

A map showing the relative positions of Anzac and Turkish fighting units during the Turkish Offensive of 19 May is included in Gallipoli - The Turkish Defence , by Harvey Broadbent (p. 196). The map shows the Australian 1st Battalion at Steele’s Post and the Turkish 57th Regiment as part of  the 19th Division attacking further to the north along a front between The Nek and Pope’s Hill. On p. 187 Broadbent states that the 57th Regiment attacked near Quinn’s Post. Based on the scale of the map, the left flank of the Australian 1st Battalion (Jayjay’s position) was approximately 300 metres from the left flank of the Turkish 57th Regiment (Mehmet’s position). However, a line of sight from Steele’s Post towards Pope’s Hill and Dead Man’s Ridge would have cut across the Australian position at Courtney’s Post and would have made a dangerous long shot in the dim pre-dawn light.  The Australian 1st Battalion would have mainly been concerned with the Turkish 5th Division during the attack as the 5th Division directly faced Steeles Post from German Officers’ Ridge, across a no-man’s-land of around 100 yards (refer to Map 6 following p. 150 in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol II for a map with detailed scale and distances between trenches. Note that the 1981 University of Queensland reprint has poorly reproduced this map and trench locations are shown incorrectly).

Australian War Memorial photograph C01967 shows a view of Pope’s Hill and Dead Man’s Ridge as seen from the 1st Battalion position in May 1915.

Charles Bean provides a detailed account of the Turkish offensive of 19 May 1915 in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol II, chapter V. Bean states (p. 140) that at the time immediately before the attack, “dawn was near” and “The sky was, for that hour, exceptionally clear, and the pale light could be seen reflected in sheaves of long thin Turkish bayonets.” Australian men were woken and reserves formed up shortly before 3:00 am. On p. 155, Bean describes how Australian’s argued, begged, fought and offered money for a place in the firing line during the Turkish attack early on 19 May. A photograph opposite p. 86 (AWM ref G01762A, G01762B and G01762P) shows the position of Dead Man’s Ridge visible from the rear of Courtney’s Post which is adjacent to Steele’s Post. See also AWM photo ref C01967 for the view of Dead Man’s Ridge from the 1st Battalion position.

Harvey Broadbent includes a quote from General Birdwood in The Boys Who Came Home (p. 72), indicating that aerial reconnaissance had identified massing Turkish forces on 18 May 1915, and hence the likelihood of an impending attack. Warning reached the trenches at 10pm on 18 May and the troops were prepared.