I'm currently reading Robyn Prior's excellent Gallipoli - the End of the Myth, and finding it most informative. One minor question crossed my mind when considering the chapter on the 25 April landings as the narrative went around the landing beaches on the peninsula, ie from S to V, then W, then X, then Y and finally Z at Anzac Cove. The beaches appear to have been lettered in alphabetical, or reverse alphabetical, order, but there wasn't a T Beach nor a U Beach. There doesn't seem to have been room for two extra (discarded?) landing sites between S and V, so they weren't there.

I realise that the letters need not have been allocated, but I'm still curious. Was there a reason for the two letters not being used? Did those letters relate to the French landings at Kum Kale?

It's not a major matter, but I'll be grateful if someone knows the answer.

Gareth

Gareth

A footnote in the Official History says " The six beaches on the peninsula to be used on 25 April were named in inverse alphabetical order, beginning at the Australians' landing place at Anzac, which was at first known as Z beach. The letter T was omitted as sounding too much like V, and the Morto Bay landing place thus became S beach."

No mention is made of the letter U but perhaps it was omitted because it might look like V but that is pure supposition and someone else may have a more definitive answer.

Hope that helps

Garth

Garth

Thanks for that. I'm now better informed.

Cheers

Gareth