1st Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Helles

Gully Ravine where Capt O’Sullivan and Sgt Somers won the Victoria Cross

After their initial landing at X Beach, the Inniskillings took part in successive attempts to capture the village of Krithia and the heights of Achi Baba, which had been the 29th Division’s objective on the first day. These main offensives, launched on 28 April, 6 May, 4 June and 28 June, all failed with limited gains and heavy losses on both sides. There were also strong and costly Turkish counter-attacks in between, as well as smaller scale patrolling and raiding operations. Krithia remained over 1000m away.

The battle of Gully Ravine did result in the capture of Gully Spur as far as Fusilier Bluff, but the Inniskillings most important achievement was in resisting the subsequent Turkish counterattacks. 'Turkey Trench' changed hands many times on the east side of Gully Ravine. Captain Gerald O’Sullivan and Sergeant James Somers won the Victoria Cross there on the night of 1-2 July 1915.

Click on The Gallipoli Campaign for links to more stories about our former regiments at Gallipoli.