Mediterranean Expeditionary Force

Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was a major British Army formation assembled during the First World War for operations against the Ottoman Empire. Primarily tasked with conducting the Gallipoli campaign, its objective was to secure the Dardanelles strait, capture Constantinople, and open a sea route to supply Russia. The force's operations, marked by intense combat and logistical challenges, culminated in a strategic withdrawal and its eventual dissolution.

Formation and purpose

The force was established in March 1915 under the strategic direction of the British War Council, largely due to the advocacy of First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill. Its creation was a direct response to the naval failure to force the Dardanelles in February and March 1915. The primary purpose was to launch a major amphibious assault on the Gallipoli peninsula to eliminate Ottoman forts, thereby allowing the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet to advance on Constantinople. This operation was intended to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war, secure a southern supply line to the Russian Empire, and potentially rally Balkan states like Bulgaria and Greece to the Allied cause.

Command structure

Supreme command was initially vested in General Sir Ian Hamilton, who reported directly to the Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener. Hamilton established his headquarters on the island of Lemnos, using Mudros harbour as a key base. The naval component was under the command of Vice-Admiral John de Robeck of the Royal Navy. Following Hamilton's recall in October 1915, command passed to General Sir Charles Monro, who recommended evacuation. The force comprised two main army corps: the British IX Corps and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), the latter commanded by Lieutenant-General William Birdwood.

Major campaigns and battles

The force was exclusively committed to the gruelling Gallipoli campaign. Its first major actions were the simultaneous landings at Cape Helles and north of Gaba Tepe (the ANZAC Cove area) on 25 April 1915. Subsequent battles included the First Battle of Krithia, Second Battle of Krithia, and the Third Battle of Krithia at Helles, and the fierce struggle for the high ground at Sari Bair in August. The August offensive also featured the disastrous Battle of the Nek and the landing at Suvla Bay by the British IX Corps. After months of stalemate against determined Ottoman forces commanded by Liman von Sanders and Mustafa Kemal, the campaign concluded with the successful but costly evacuation of all troops from Suvla, ANZAC Cove, and Helles in December 1915 and January 1916.

Composition and units

It was a multinational Imperial force. The core included the British 29th Division, the Royal Naval Division, and the British IX Corps. A central and famed component was the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), containing the Australian 1st Division and the New Zealand and Australian Division. Later reinforcements included the British 10th (Irish) Division, British 11th (Northern) Division, and the British 13th (Western) Division. Support units encompassed the French Oriental Expeditionary Corps, Royal Engineers, Royal Army Medical Corps, and the Zouaves. Troops were drawn from across the British Empire, including Newfoundland.

Disbandment and legacy

Following the complete evacuation from Gallipoli, the force was officially disbanded in January 1916. Its constituent units were redeployed; many ANZAC divisions were sent to the Western Front or the Egyptian Expeditionary Force for the Sinai and Palestine campaign. The campaign is remembered as a costly failure, with over 140,000 Allied casualties, and had profound political consequences, contributing to the fall of the Asquith government and the resignation of Winston Churchill. The ordeal forged a powerful national consciousness in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated annually on ANZAC Day. The campaign is studied for its lessons in amphibious warfare, joint operations, and military planning.

Category:Expeditionary forces Category:British military units and formations of World War I Category:Gallipoli campaign