The story of the landings at Gallipoli having been executed at the wrong place after being swept along by a strong current has endured for a century, but now John Howell looks at the background and sets out what he considers to be the myth of the ‘Gallipoli Current’ at Anzac Cove.
The Gallipoli Current At Anzac Cove A Myth
For a century now, Australians and New Zealanders have had to accept that a mysterious current swept the Anzac landing force more than a mile north of their landing place at Gaba Tepe. Every utterance on the topic has perpetuated the story that they struggled ashore at a spot where the terrain was hopeless. This bad start at the wrong place meant that courage and persistence would never be enough for them to achieve their task. In fact, the author contends that the landing was where it was intended and General Sir Ian Hamilton had nominated the section of coast that was to be Z Beach, but it was left up to Major-General Bridges and Anzac Command aboard the SS Minnewaska to finalise their own details.
Intelligence gathering in the weeks just before the landing was continuous, and provided daily information that clearly showed the easy terrain around Gaba Tepe to be well defended. Att…
