The silence of Chunuk Bair at dawn tells one of the most haunting stories of Gallipoli

The silence of Chunuk Bair at dawn tells one of the most haunting stories of Gallipoli

The silence of Chunuk Bair at dawn is not ordinary quiet; it is the stillness that lingers after courage met catastrophe on a ridge that became a grave. Perched above the Dardanelles Strait, Chunuk Bair rose from the chaos of the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, only to witness the futility of war. Today, when the first light breaks over the Turkish landscape, the summit stands empty—no voices, no guns, just the memory of 600 New Zealand soldiers who reached the top before dawn on 8 August and then vanished under a Turkish counterattack hours later. This is the story of how a place of desperate hope became a monument to silence.

The dawn chorus at Chunuk Bair is now the sound of wind through wild thyme and the distant call of a shepherd’s flute—not the battle cries of 1915. Yet, every August, the silence feels heavier, charged with the ghosts of those who never left. This article explores what happened at Chunuk Bair, how the battle unfolded, when it took place, and why its silence endures as a lesson from Gallipoli.

What is Chunuk Bair?

Chunuk Bair (sometimes spelled Chunukbahir or Çanakkale Sırtı) is a prominent ridge on the Gallipoli Peninsula in modern-day Turkey. Rising to about 250 metres, it commands a sweeping view of the Narrows—the narrowest point of the Dardanelles Strait—and the surrounding terrain. In 1915, control of Chunuk Bair meant control of the high ground, and thus, control of the entire Allied position in the Gallipoli Campaign. The ridge was a strategic prize that both the British-led Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) and the Ottoman Turkish forces desperately wanted to hold.

The name "Chunuk Bair" is of Turkish origin, meaning "forked hill," describing its distinctive shape. Strategically, it was the key to breaking the stalemate at Gallipoli. Without it, Allied ships could not safely navigate the strait, and Turkish artillery could dominate the beaches where troops landed.

What happened during the battle at Chunuk Bair?

The Battle of Chunuk Bair unfolded in a series of desperate, heroic, and ultimately tragic moments. It began on the night of 6 August 1915, when New Zealand soldiers from the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and the Auckland and Wellington Infantry Battalions, under the command of Brigadier-General Francis Earl Johnston, launched a night assault to capture the ridge. This was part of a larger offensive known as the August Offensive, aimed at breaking the deadlock on Gallipoli.

Under cover of darkness, the New Zealanders advanced silently up the slopes, surprising Ottoman outposts. By dawn on 8 August, they had reached the summit—Chunuk Bair was in Anzac hands for the first time. For a brief moment, there was hope. A British signal officer climbed the ridge and famously sent a message: "Chunuk Bair captured. Shall I hold on?" The response came back: "Yes, hold on at all costs."

But the victory was short-lived. Around 5:00 a.m., a Turkish counterattack led by Lieutenant-Colonel Mustafa Kemal (later Atatürk) surged up the slopes. The New Zealanders, exhausted and outnumbered, fought valiantly but were overwhelmed. By midday, the ridge was back in Turkish hands. Of the 600 New Zealanders who reached the top, only 70 survived the battle. The ridge became a killing field, and the silence that followed was not just the absence of sound—it was the presence of absence.

How did the battle unfold? Step-by-step

• Night of 6–7 August: New Zealand troops begin a silent advance toward Chunuk Bair, climbing steep, scrub-covered slopes in the dark.
• Dawn, 8 August: New Zealanders reach the summit unopposed. They raise the Union Jack and occupy the ridge.
• Morning: British commanders, including General Sir Ian Hamilton, receive reports of the capture and order the position to be held.
• Afternoon: Turkish forces under Mustafa Kemal launch a massive counterattack from the lower slopes.
• Evening: Heavy fighting continues. New Zealand troops are pushed off the ridge. The summit falls back into Ottoman control.
• Aftermath: Allied forces suffer over 2,000 casualties in the assault and defence of Chunuk Bair. The ridge remains in Turkish hands until the end of the campaign—a strategic failure that sealed the fate of the Gallipoli landings.

The battle exposed critical flaws in Allied planning: poor coordination, unclear objectives, and underestimation of Turkish resilience. Yet, it also cemented the courage of the New Zealand soldiers, who attacked at night up a near-impossible slope—an act of bravery still commemorated in New Zealand every year on 8 August.

When did the battle take place?

The Battle of Chunuk Bair occurred during the Gallipoli Campaign, specifically between 6 and 10 August 1915. It was part of the wider August Offensive, which aimed to break the stalemate that had gripped the peninsula since the initial landings on 25 April. The offensive included other key battles, such as the attack on Lone Pine and the landings at Suvla Bay.

By mid-August, it was clear that the campaign was failing. Chunuk Bair was one of the last chances to regain momentum. When the ridge fell, so did any real hope of victory. The battle marked the turning point toward evacuation, which began in December 1915 and ended in January 1916 with the complete withdrawal of Allied forces.

A legacy carved in silence

Today, Chunuk Bair is a place of pilgrimage. A stone memorial, built by the New Zealand government in 1925, stands at the summit, bearing the names of the fallen. Visitors walk up the steep path at dawn, just as the soldiers did, and stand in silence as the sun rises over the Aegean. The silence is not empty—it is full of memory. It speaks of courage, of sacrifice, and of a war that changed nations.

The silence at Chunuk Bair is also a call to learn. It reminds us that war is not glorious, but tragic. It teaches us that even in defeat, humanity endures. And it invites us to remember—not just the soldiers, but the families who mourned them, the nurses who cared for the wounded, and the people of Gallipoli who lived through the horror and still offered hospitality to the enemy after the war.

To visit Chunuk Bair is to stand where time stopped in 1915. To experience its dawn is to feel the weight of history in every breath of the wind. And in that silence, we hear the most important lesson of all: never again.

Date	Event	Outcome
6 August 1915 (night)	New Zealand forces launch silent night assault on Chunuk Bair	Initial surprise; ridge reached by dawn
8 August 1915 (dawn)	New Zealanders occupy summit	First Allied control of the ridge
8 August 1915 (afternoon)	Turkish counterattack led by Mustafa Kemal	New Zealanders pushed off ridge; heavy casualties
8–10 August 1915	Fighting continues around the ridge	Ridge remains in Turkish hands; Allies fail to break stalemate

If you wish to walk where these soldiers stood, consider visiting Gallipoli with a guided tour. Many companies, including Gallipoli Tours, offer immersive experiences that bring history to life with expert guides, respectful ceremonies, and access to sites like Chunuk Bair at dawn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who captured Chunuk Bair first during the Gallipoli Campaign?

The first Allied troops to reach the summit of Chunuk Bair were New Zealand soldiers from the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and the Auckland and Wellington Infantry Battalions on the morning of 8 August 1915.

Q: Why was control of Chunuk Bair so important in 1915?

Control of Chunuk Bair gave command of the high ground overlooking the Narrows of the Dardanelles Strait, allowing artillery to dominate the Allied supply routes and beachheads, making it a critical strategic objective.

Q: How many New Zealand soldiers died at Chunuk Bair?

Out of approximately 600 New Zealand soldiers who reached the summit on 8 August 1915, only about 70 survived the battle. Over 2,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded in the broader August Offensive.

For travelers seeking a comprehensive guide on Türkiye's historic regions, Gelibolu Turları offers detailed insights.

Further reading: Wikipedia — Gallipoli Campaign.