IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS (THE NEW ZEALAND TRAIL)

Eceabat - Anzac Sector - Eceabat

In early August, more than three months after the Turkish defenders halted the initial Allied landings at the Ariburnu sector, confining the men of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) to a narrow beachhead, Allied commanders launched a new offensive to break the deadlock.

One of the key elements of the Allied plan was the capture of a series of hills overlooking the Dardanelles. Tens of thousands of Allied troops – English, Indian, Ghurkha, Irish, Australian and New Zealand – took part in the assaults. Only a handful achieved their objective, among them men of the New Zealand Infantry and Mounted Rifles Brigades.

his half day tour follows the trail of those New Zealand troops in their assault in August to capture to crucial heights of Chunuk Bair, key to the Anzac sector. After driving from Eceabat, our tour begins from the point where the New Zealand attack began on the night of August 6, from behind the position known as New Zealand No. 2 Outpost, on the left flank of the Anzac beachhead.

Following a marked track that passes through the old front line positions, the tour climbs up along one of the ridgelines leading to the main New Zealand objective, Chunuk Bair, site of the New Zealand Memorial.

Among the positions the tour passes as it moves upwards are the Tabletop, Rhododendron Ridge, the Apex and the Pinnacle, all scenes of heavy fighting between New Zealand and Turkish troops in August. A detour to the Farm Cemetery, where more than 650 Allied soldiers, mostly British who fell in fighting below Chunuk Bair in August, lie buried can also be included in the walk.

The tour concludes at Chunuk Bair, captured by men of the New Zealand Wellington Battalion on August 8, and held at fearful cost for almost two days before being recaptured by Turkish troops led in person by Mustafa Kemal, later modern Turkey’s first president. With the loss of Chunuk Bair on the morning of August 10, the last hope of Allied victory in the campaign was gone. Throughout the walk, your guide will provide detailed information telling the story of the campaign and of the men from all sides who took part, helping you to share in a small way some of the experiences of the soldiers who served in this region in 1915.

Advice for visitors

While at all times following marked trails, this walk involves quite a bit of climbing, with the trek starting on the coastal strip and finishing at Chunuk Bair, around 260 metres above sea level. In parts, the trail is quite steep. It is advised that solid shoes be worn, and that guests bring a hat and carry adequate water with them, as temperatures can be hot, especially in the summer months.