Helles Memorial

Coordinates: 40°2′45″N 26°10′45″E / 40.04583°N 26.17917°E / 40.04583; 26.17917
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Helles Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Helles Memorial from afar.
For First World War missing, presumed dead from the Gallipoli campaign who have no known grave.
Unveiled1924
Location40°2′45″N 26°10′45″E / 40.04583°N 26.17917°E / 40.04583; 26.17917
near 
Designed byJohn James Burnet
Commemorated20885
Statistics source: Cemetery details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The Helles Memorial is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission war memorial near Sedd el Bahr, in Turkey, on the headland at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula overlooking the Dardanelles. It includes an obelisk which is over 30 metres (98 ft) high.

The memorial is the main Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign, and also commemorates the 20,956 Commonwealth servicemen with no known grave who died in the campaign in 1915–1916, during the First World War.

The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, with main landings at Cape Helles and Suvla Bay, and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps fought mainly at ANZAC Cove. There are also panels for those who died or were buried at sea in Gallipoli waters.

Other Commonwealth memorials to missing servicemen from the Gallipoli campaign include the Lone Pine Memorial, Hill 60 Memorial, Chunuk Bair Memorial, and Twelve Tree Copse Memorial. Naval casualties who were buried at sea are also commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth Naval Memorial and Chatham Naval Memorial in the UK.

French casualties are commemorated at the Morto Bay French Cemetery. The main Turkish memorial is the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial.

Notable people commemorated[edit]

Among those commemorated at the Helles Memorial are five Victoria Cross recipients:[1]

Also four rugby union internationals:

And two first-class cricketers:

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Burial locations of Victoria Cross Holders in Turkey
  2. ^ CWGC Casualty Record, William Campbell Church
  3. ^ CWGC Casualty Record, Arthur James Dingle
  4. ^ CWGC Casualty Record, William Nanson
  5. ^ CWGC Casualty Record, Eric Templeton Young
  6. ^ CWGC Casualty Record, James Sutcliffe
  7. ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Howard Palmer". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 12 April 2023.