Today is the 100th anniversary of the first landings of the Gallipoli campaign by Anzac troops. The battle to take control of the Dardanelles and Bosphorous to open a supply route to Russia and force the Ottoman Empire out of the war would, in its eight months, leave 130,000 dead. The Spectator was to report the first news of the landings in its 1 May 1915 issue. Here, from ‘News of the Week’ in the 24 April 1915 issue, The Spectator speculates about the course of action in the Dardanelles:
The other important event of the week has been the landing of a British force at Enos, the most westerly point of Turkish territory in Europe, the point just beyond which the new Bulgarian frontier begins. As we write no official statement has been made as to the incident or the intention of the British operations, but according to a Berlin “wireless” of Thursday the force landed consisted of twenty thousand English sad French troops. The Press has been full of speculations as to the meaning of this move, and what relation it bears to the operations in the Dardanelles. Enos is about sixty miles from the narrowest part of the Gallipoli Peninsula. For ourselves, we have often wondered during the past three months why the French and English should not land a large force at Enos or somewhere near, while the Russians did the same thing at Midis. If the Allies then marched roughly north-east and the Russians south-west, they might, provided their forces were large enough, join hands and drive the Turks out of their remaining possessions in Europe and take Constantinople from the land side. We note that rumours to the effect that this is, in fact, the plan were published on Thursday in a foreign telegram, but they have had no official confirmation.
Very possibly, however, this is not the way in which the game will be played, and we may see developments of a perfectly different character which it would be indiscreet to canvass just now. We can only express the hope that whatever forces are employed will be adequate as regards size and efficiency, and that we shall not attempt these very important, very difficult, and very dangerous operations on too narrow a basis. Above all, we trust they will be clearly thought out, and if begun pressed home with determination. As to the naval operations at the Dardanelles there is, of course, a great deal to be said, but it is clearly much better not to say it just now. The reports as to the troops of the new Expeditionary Force received from Alexandria are very encouraging. General d’Amade, who commands the French contingent, is a very able officer. He has a great many friends in England, where he was for several years Military Attache.
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