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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Azmac Cemetery, Turkey |
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Azmac Cemetery (1)
Photo : Edward Nicholl
The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea.
The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further troops were put ashore at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts.
The aim of the Suvla force had been to quickly secure the sparsely held high ground surrounding the bay and salt lake, but confused landings and indecision caused fatal delays allowing the Turks to reinforce and only a few of the objectives were taken with difficulty.
With Hill 10 Cemetery, Azmak recalls the northern part of the Suvla operations and the attempts to take and hold the Kiretch Tepi ridge and the high ground to the east. The cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites in the area and from the following smaller cemeteries:- Dublin (from the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers); Sulajik; 5th Norfolk (under the foothills of Tekke Tepe, where some of the 1st/5th Norfolks, who fell on the 12th August, were buried); Borderers' Ravine; Oxford Circus; Worcester (from the 4th Worcesters); Kidney Hill; Irish; Azmak Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4; Jephson's Post (named after Major J. N. Jephson, attd. 6th Royal Munster Fusiliers who was mortally wounded capturing the position on the 15th August); Essex Ravine; Hill 28; and Lone Tree Gully.
There are now 1,074 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 684 of the burials are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate by name a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Also among the unidentified graves are those of 114 officers and men of the 1st/5th Bn. Norfolk Regiment (which contained the Sandringham Company) who died on 12 August 1915.
There are now 1074 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 500 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
6 soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment are buried in this cemetery.
Photographs of their headstones are below. A larger sized image, which opens
in a new window, can be obtained by selecting the thumbnail image. All photos
by Edward Nicholl.
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Private John Myers Alderson, 18212.
6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late William and Elizabeth Ann Alderson, of High Green, Stokesley, Yorks. Killed 20 October 1915. Aged 19. Born Burby (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley (Yorks). Photo by John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) |
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Private Stephen Cresswell Ballantyne,
18757. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 27 September 1915. Born Norton-on-Tees (Durham), Enlisted Richmond, Resided Redcar. Photo by John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) |
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Lt Colonel Edward Henry Chapman. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. E. H. and Mrs. E. E. Chapman, of Carr Hall, Whitby, Yorks, and of Cobrey Park, Ross, Herefordshire. Served on the North-West Frontier of India (Tirah, 1897/8). Killed 7 August 1915. Aged 40. "BELIEVED TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY"
"THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT" Born on 25 Apr 1875 in Budleigh Salterton, Devon son of Edward Henry and Elizabeth Eden (Walker) Chapman of Carr Hall, Whitby, Yorkshire and of Cobrey Park, Ross, Herefordshire. Educated at the United Services College 1889-93 and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was unmarried. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant 2nd Yorkshires on 20 Feb 1895 and promoted to Lieutenant on 18 Aug 1897. Served on the North-West Frontier 1897-98. Made Captain on 29 Sep 1901 and Major on 11 Feb 1911. He became Lieutenant Colonel commanding the newly formed 6th Bn. on 19 Aug 1914. He was killed in action at the capture of the hill at Lala Baba near Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. Photo : Edward Nicholl |
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Captain Wilfred Hubert Chapman. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. J. J. and Fanny Chapman, of Whitby, Yorks; husband of May Campbell Chapman, of The Home Farm, Cromer, Norfolk. Served in the South African Campaign. Killed 7 August 1915. Aged 35. "BELIEVED TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY"
"THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT" Photo : Edward Nicholl |
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Captain John Cecil Morgan. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of J. H. Morgan, C.V.O. husband of Truda Morgan, of Fearn, Claygate, Surrey. M.A. Trinity College, Oxford. Served in the South African War. Killed 7 August 1915. Aged 39 "BELIEVED TO BE BURIED IN THIS CEMETERY" "FOR SO HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP" Photo by John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) |
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Private Hugh Smith. 3/7574. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. M. Smith, of 35, Bridge St., Middlesbrough. Died 26 September 1915. Aged 21. Born Barnard Castle (Durham), Enlisted Middlesbrough. "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN"
Photo by John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) |
Azmac Cemetery (2)
Photo : Edward Nicholl
Azmac
Cemetery
A larger sized image, which opens in a new window, can be obtained by selecting
the above image.
Photo : Edward Nicholl
Azmac Cemetery (3)
Photo : Edward Nicholl
The
headstone in Azmac Cemetery for Lieutenant Paiba of the Royal Fusiliers
Photo : Edward Nicholl
The
Trek Over Rough Pasture Land to reach Azmac Cemetery
Photo : Edward Nicholl