For the first time showcasing a unique and extensive range of Australian War Memorial photographs, 'Gallipoli: a Ridge too far' describes the pivotal events of that momentous year as they affected all the countries involved. The book combines fresh perspectives from the world's leading authorities, including Turkish and German historians, together with soldiers' letters and diary accounts.
In early August 1915, after months of stalemate in the trenches on Gallipoli, British and Dominion troops launched a series of assaults in an all-out attempt to break the deadlock and achieve a decisive victory. The 'August offensive' resulted in heartbreaking failure and costly losses on both sides. Many of the sites of the bloody struggle became famous names: Lone Pine, the Nek, Chunuk Bair, Hill 60, Suvla Bay. Debate has continued to the present day over the strategy and planning, the real or illusory opportunities for success, and the causes of failure in what became the last throw of the dice for the Allies.
This new book about the Gallipoli battles arises out of a major international conference at the Australian War Memorial in 2010 to mark the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. Keynote speaker Professor Robin Prior led a range of international authorities from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France, Germany, India and Turkey to present their most recent research findings. The result was significant: never before had such a range of views been presented, with fresh German and Turkish perspectives offered alongside those of British and Australasian historians. For the resulting book, the papers have been edited and the text has been augmented with soldiers' letters and diary accounts, as well as a large number of photographs and maps.
