Chronology Of World War 1
TURKISH CAMPAIGNS

Dardanelles

1914

Nov. 3-British Navy bombards outer Dardanelles forts.

1915

Feb. 19-British begin naval attack to force straits.
March 18-Naval attack fails, and fleet withdraws.
April 25-British troops land on Gallipoli Peninsula; gain beachheads at Anzac Cove and Cape Helles.
May 6-Helles force attacks to enlarge beachhead (attack
ends May 8); no gains are made.
June 4-Second Helles force attacks with minor success.
July 12-Third Helles attack begins; ends July 13 with little success; the total gain in all attacks is 3 miles.
Aug. 6-General British attack begins; troops land at Suvla Bay.
Aug. 9-British are pinned down in all sectors. Aug. 15-A renewed British attack fails.
Aug. 21-Another attack fails.
Dec. 20-British troops are evacuated from Anzac and Suvla Bay.

1916

Jan. 9-British troops are evacuated from Helles; campaign ends in complete failure.

Mesopotamia

1914

Nov. 7-British land in Mesopotamia opposite Abadan. Nov. 22-British occupy Basra.
Dec. 9-British move north to Al Qurna.

1915

April 12-Turks attack British at Basra; attack fails, and they flee April 14.
May 16-British occupy Ahwaz to protect oil pipeline. June 3-British capture `Amara on the Tigris. July 25-British capture Nasiriya on the Euphrates. Sept. 22-British advance on Kut begins.
Sept. 28-British rout Turks at Sannaiyat and enter Kut. Oct. 5-British reach Al `Azsziya.
Nov. 11-British start north for Baghdad. -
Nov. 22-British attack Turks at Ctesiphon; capture front line.
Nov. 25-Turks hold firm; British withdraw southward. Dec. 3-British halt retreat at Kut.
Dec. 7-Turks surround British in Kut.

1916

Jan. 21-First British attempt to relieve Kut fails. March 8-Second British attempt is beaten back. April 22-Third British attempt fails.
April 29-British garrison at Kut surrenders. Dec. 13-British advance toward Kut.

1917

Feb. 24-British force Turkish retreat; reoccupy Kut Feb. 25.
March 5-British advance toward Baghdad. -
March 11-Turks evacuate Baghdad; British occupy city. Sept. 29-British occupy Ramadi on the Euphrates. Dec. 9-Turks are driven from Khanaqin.

1918

March 9-British capture Hit.
Oct. 23-British begin advance to Mosul.
Oct. 30-Turks are surrounded and captured at Sharqat; armistice is declared, effective Oct. 31.

Egypt and Palestine

1914

Dec. 18-British proclaim protectorate over Egypt.

1915

February-Turkish attempts to capture Suez Canal are repulsed.

1916

June 5-Sherif Husayn of Mecca proclaims Arab revolt against Turks.
Aug. 4-5-Turks are badly beaten at El Rumana; British start advance to Palestine border.
Dec. 21-British advance to El Arish.

1917

January-British arrive at Palestine border.
March 26-First Battle of Gaza begins (ends March 27); British attack Turks but are repulsed.
April 17-Second Battle of Gaza begins (ends April 19); British attacks are again repulsed.
Oct. 31-Third Battle of Gaza begins (ends Nov. 7); Turks are outflanked and forced to withdraw.
Nov. 13-Battle of Junction Station begins (ends Nov. 14); Turks are defeated.
Dec. 9-British capture Jerusalem.

1918

April-Five British divisions are transferred to western front and are replaced by Indian troops.
Sept. 19-Battle of Megiddo takes place; Turks are put to flight.
Oct. 1-British take Damascus.
Oct. 26-British take Aleppo.
Oct. 30-Armistice is declared, effective Oct. 31.

Caucasus

1914

Dec. 29-Turks, advancing on Kars, are badly defeated by Russians near Sarikamit in battle ending Jan. 2, 1915

1915

Russians push back Turks north of Lake Van.

1916

Jan. 17-Russian offensive on Lake Van-Black Sea front begins.
Feb. 12-16-Erzurum, Turkey, falls to Russians.
April 17-Russians capture Trebizond.
July 25-Russians capture Erzincan; advance bogs down; front is stabilized for rest of the year.

1917

March 12-Russian Revolution begins; Caucasus troops remain loyal.
April-Supplies to Caucasus army are cut off. November-Troops begin to abandon front and return to Russia.

1918

Feb. 18-Turks begin advance to Baku oilfields.
Feb. 24-Turks reoccupy Trebizond.
March 12-Turks reoccupy Erzurum.
April 15-Turks reach Batumi.
April 27-Turks capture Kars.
May-June-Armenians and Georgians oppose Turkish advance; Germans and Turks clash at Tbilisi.
Aug. 4-British detachment reaches Baku.
Sept. 14-Turks force British to evacuate Baku.
Oct. 30-Armistice is declared, effective Oct. 31.