Baby 700

Baby 700 is a hill on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Çanakkale Province, Turkey. It became a focal point during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I, where Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force troops attempted to seize heights held by the Ottoman Empire and units of the Ottoman Army. The feature's tactical importance drew forces from the British Empire, including formations from United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, and influenced operations conducted by commanders such as William Birdwood and Ian Hamilton.

Background and Naming

The name originated among British and ANZAC troops during the Gallipoli Campaign mapping and reconnaissance phase, alongside other informal designations used by expeditionary forces from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Contemporary maps produced by the Royal Geographical Society and staff officers of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force recorded hill features with numeric and colloquial labels to aid coordination between divisions like the 29th Division, the 1st Australian Division, and the 2nd Australian Division. The epithet reflected the practice of assigning simple identifiers—comparable to names such as Lone Pine, The Nek, and Chunuk Bair—to ridgelines and knolls contested during operations overseen by commanders including Frederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford and William Birdwood.

Geography and Physical Features

The hill is located on the rugged central sector of the Gallipoli Peninsula between the Aegean Sea and the Dardanelles Strait, within proximity to features like Plugge's Plateau, Monash Valley, and the high ground of Chunuk Bair. Its slopes afforded commanding observation over landing areas such as Anzac Cove and approaches toward the Suvla Bay sector, influencing artillery deployment by batteries from the Royal Artillery and logistical movements of the Anzac Mounted Division. The terrain comprised scrub-covered ridges, fractured limestone, and narrow gullies similar to formations at Hill 60 (Gallipoli), constraining maneuver for units like the 3rd Light Horse Brigade and infantry battalions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Military Significance in World War I

Control of the hill offered observation and fields of fire affecting both shore-based supply routes and inland avenues toward objectives prioritized by the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and the Ottoman Third Army. It factored into operational planning that involved coordination among corps commanded by figures such as Sir Ian Hamilton and supported by naval gunfire from ships of the Royal Navy and the French Navy. The position was contested in the context of broader strategic goals tied to the Dardanelles Campaign, the intended knock-out of the Ottoman Empire from World War I coalitions, and subsequent political deliberations in Ministries including the War Office and the Admiralty.

Gallipoli Campaign Engagements

During the initial Landing at Anzac Cove and ensuing days, elements of the 1st Australian Division and attached brigades attempted assaults and patrols to secure the hill against defenders from formations such as the 5th Army Corps (Ottoman Empire) and units commanded by officers like Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Intense small-arms fire, enfilading positions, and counterattacks by regiments of the Ottoman Army resulted in costly infantry actions comparable in ferocity to engagements at The Nek and Lone Pine (Gallipoli). Artillery duels involved pieces from batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery and Ottoman field artillery, while aerial reconnaissance by squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps and Ottoman aviators attempted to map trenches and troop dispositions. The contested ridgeline featured in phases of offensive planning, reprisal counterattacks, and stalemate that characterized the months-long campaign overseen by commanders including William Birdwood, C. H. G. (Charles Harington) Davies, and Turkish leaders such as Esat Pasha.

Aftermath and Commemoration

Following the eventual evacuation of Allied forces from the peninsula under plans approved by Sir Ian Hamilton and executed with coordination from the Royal Navy, the terrain including the hill remained within the borders of the Republic of Turkey after the Turkish War of Independence and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. The site is commemorated by memorials and cemeteries maintained by organizations such as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is visited during anniversaries observed by delegations from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and other nations involved in the Gallipoli Campaign remembrance. Historians and institutions including the Australian War Memorial and the Imperial War Museum have documented the actions around this ridge alongside published accounts by figures such as Charles Bean and analyses in military studies of the Dardanelles Campaign.

Category:Gallipoli Campaign Category:Hills of Turkey