text: battle for no.3 post the battle for no.3 post ( 28 – 30 may 1915 ) was fought during the gallipoli campaign in the first world war , between the forces of the new zealand mounted rifles brigade and the turkish 19th division . the new zealand mounted rifles brigade was responsible for the defence of the northern perimeter of the anzac beach - head , holding a sector from the position known as walker 's top down the ridge line to the sea . part of this defence line was formed by no.1 and no.2 posts , isolated positions in the far north that could only be approached in safety during the hours of darkness . near the end of may 1915 , the turks started constructing a new position just inland from no.2 post , that if left to be completed would cause problems for the new zealanders . therefore , it was decided to assault and capture the post . after the position was captured , it was named no.3 post , and the new zealanders settled in and attempted to improve its defences . the same night , the turks counter - attacked . surrounded and cut off from the rest of the brigade , running short of ammunition and supplies , the defending 9th ( wellington east coast ) squadron held out for twenty - eight hours until relieved , and beat off several attempts to break through their lines . when the squadron was eventually relieved it was decided the post was untenable , and it was abandoned the same night . the new zealand mounted brigade 's casualties during the battle were forty - two dead and 109 wounded . the exact number of turkish casualties is not known but was around two hundred men . the new zealand brigade went on to fight in the battle of chunuk bair and the battle of hill 60 , and was then evacuated from the peninsula before the campaign ended in december 1915 . background anzac landings on 25 april , at the start of the gallipoli campaign , the australian and new zealand army corps ( anzac ) landed at what later became known as anzac cove . included in the landings was the new zealand and australian division , but the division had been forced to leave part of its strength , including the new zealand mounted rifles brigade , behind in egypt . the commanders believed there would be no requirement or opportunities for mounted troops on the peninsula . however , heavy casualties , and the lack of any other reinforcements , forced them to reconsider the decision , and the mounted troops were later dispatched to gallipoli to serve in a dismounted role . new zealand mounted rifles brigade under the command of brigadier - general andrew russell , the new zealand mounted rifles brigade was raised in august 1914 and consisted of three regiments of mounted infantry . while the brigade had an establishment of 1 , 940 men , when dismounted its rifle strength was only the equivalent of an infantry battalion . each of the brigade 's regiments was formed from three squadrons , each of 158 men organised into a headquarters and four troops . when the brigade arrived in egypt , it came under the command of the newly formed new zealand and australian division . in april 1915 , the division 's infantry units left egypt for an undisclosed destination , and it was not until 1 may that the new zealand mounted rifles brigade learned about the gallipoli landings . four days later the brigade received news that it would also deploy , as reinforcements , to gallipoli , but in a dismounted role without their horses . they arrived off the gallipoli peninsula on 12 may , and disembarked at anzac cove . the next day , the brigade moved into the front line on the northern left flank , relieving the royal naval brigade . their trenches stretched from the aegean sea to walker 's ridge , and included two outposts , no.1 post and no.2 post . the latter position was the beach - head 's most northern position , situated only two miles ( 3 . 2 km ) from chatham 's post , which was the southernmost point . the outlying position of the two posts meant that movement between them and the main lines could only be undertaken safely at night . the brigade deployed with the canterbury mounted rifles on the left , the auckland mounted rifles in the centre , and the wellington mounted rifles on the right . turkish forces the first world war ottoman turkish army was badly underestimated by the allies . during the war it would defeat forces from the british , french and russian armies . before the landings gallipoli was defended by several divisions , based on infantry battalion strong - points overlooking potential landing beaches . by april 1915 , the turks had 82 fixed and 230 mobile artillery pieces on the peninsula . in may 1915 , the turkish force that would confront the new zealanders was provided by the 19th division , comprising the 57th , 72nd and 77th infantry regiments , all under the command of colonel mustafa kemal . kemal was noted as " the most imaginative , most successful officer to fight on either side " during the gallipoli campaign . how the turks viewed the invasion can be judged by kemal 's orders to his troops following the initial landings ; " men , i am not ordering you to attack . i am ordering you to die . in the time that it takes us to die , other forces and commanders can come and take our place . " virtually all the turkish army commanders , down to company commander level , were very experienced , being veterans of the balkan wars . but their command structure was weaker at the non - commissioned officer ( nco ) level , with only one nco in each company . one advantage that the turkish army had over the new zealanders , at the time , was their hand grenades , which were not used by the british forces . no.3 post capture after an abortive turkish attack in early may , from the middle of the month the new zealanders observed their opponents improving their defensive positions . one position in particular was started overnight on 26 / 27 may , at the foot of the ridge that led down to no.2 post and only 450 yards ( 410 m ) from it . it gave the new zealanders cause for concern , and therefore it was decided that the position must be captured and denied to the turks . plans for the assault were formed , and the task was given to the 1st ( canterbury yeomanry cavalry ) squadron of the canterbury mounted rifles , commanded by major percy acton - adams . on 28 may , the squadron was concentrated at no.2 post and at 22 : 00 left the post to capture the turkish position . by 23 : 30 , after advancing along the ridge , they arrived and with only slight opposition drove off the twenty turkish defenders at a cost of one dead and five wounded . they were followed up by the 6th ( manawatu ) squadron from the wellington mounted rifles , who carried entrenching tools to improve the defences and would then garrison the position , now named no.3 post . the 6th squadron , who had orders to " hold the post until relieved " , started constructing defences against a turkish counter - attack , which would not be easy as the post was surrounded on three sides by the turks . after sunrise on 29 may the squadron was in full view of the turks and they were engaged by small arms and artillery fire . they were forced to take cover and stop building defences . that night at 21 : 00 the 6th squadron was relieved by three troops ( nine officers and ninety - three other ranks ) of the 9th ( wellington east coast ) squadron , wellington mounted rifles , commanded by major selwyn chambers . defence chambers and his second in command , captain charles spragg , immediately set about constructing a defensive trench across the post , and strengthening its other defences . but by now the turks , from the 72nd infantry regiment , about 1 , 000 - strong , had managed to use the terrain and darkness to close in on the position . at 22 : 00 chambers reported that the position was under attack and surrounded , and at 23 : 35 the telephone line to headquarters was cut by the turks . the area in front of no.3 post was in a gully and out of sight to the defenders , so they had to climb on the trench parapet to engage the turks . this tactic worked well , and they broke up the turkish assault , causing the attackers some casualties . the turks did not withdraw far , and crept up to the edge of the new zealanders ' trench during the night . they then threw hand grenades into the new zealanders ' position . at the same time , small arms fire from the surrounding turkish positions pinned the new zealanders down . just after midnight the new zealanders sent the 2nd ( wellington west coast ) squadron , commanded by major james mcgregor elmslie , forward to reinforce the 9th squadron . but by itself the 2nd squadron was not strong enough to break through the turkish lines and reach the post , and at times they had to engage in close quarter fighting in the thick scrub . eventually the 2nd squadron had to form their own defensive position in the ground between no.2 and no.3 posts . at 03 : 00 , just before dawn , spragg took command of the trench in the southern sector of no.3 post , opposite where the turks appeared to be gathering their forces to assault the post . he successfully deployed his men so that when the attack began , it was met and broken up by the new zealanders ' small arms fire . but by 03 : 30 the post was under sustained turkish rifle and grenade attack and the relieving 2nd squadron was still held up on a ridge to the south of the post . between them and no.3 post was a strong turkish force which had dug in and were in communication with the turkish attackers in the gully to the north of the post . however , the 2nd squadron could now bring their own small arms fire onto the turks attacking no.3 post , making them keep their heads down . at daylight elmslie led a troop in an attack which captured a turkish trench to the left of the post . at 06 : 30 communications were re - established with no.3 post by using signal flags , and allied artillery were able to bring harassing fire onto the turkish communications trenches . but by now the defenders were running short of supplies , especially ammunition , and no one could be spared to look after the wounded , who had to see to themselves . the 6th squadron , commanded by major charles dick , were also sent forward to support the 2nd squadron 's attempt to break through to the post . advancing along the ridge from no.2 post , they reached a position on the open plateau to the north of no.3 post , but neither of the relieving squadrons could break through the turkish lines , and were confronted by heavy turkish fire from the surrounding higher ground . they were blocked by the sheer number of turkish troops . around noon the turks undermined and blew up part of the trench at no.3 post , which they then occupied . turkish attacks continued all day , and they brought into action a mountain artillery gun from a nearby position . it was now estimated that around 3 , 000 turkish troops were involved in the assault on no.3 post . unable to break through to no.3 post during the day , the new zealanders decided to wait for nightfall to make another attempt . at the same time the canterbury mounted rifles were warned they would have to provide two squadrons to take over the defence , once the 9th squadron had been relieved . during this time the turks had not given up their attempts to recapture the post . at 19 : 00 chambers signalled that the " repeated bombing of the trenches on the northern side of the post had resulted in a portion of the trenches being damaged , to such an extent that he could no longer prevent the enemy from getting in . " this was followed ten minutes later with a message that the turks had occupied the trenches in the north of the post . around the same time the 6th squadron , advancing from the south , had managed to get to within one hundred yards ( 91 m ) of the post before being pinned down . even though they now had fire support from a mountain artillery battery and a british destroyer , hms rattlesnake , they were unable to advance any further . as darkness approached the turkish attacks lessened , and at 22 : 30 , covered by the 2nd and 6th squadrons , the 10th ( nelson ) squadron and two troops from the 8th ( south canterbury ) squadron from the canterbury mounted rifles managed to break through to no.3 post . by 23 : 00 the 9th squadron 's survivors had been evacuated and the canterbury regiment had taken over the defence of the post . an hour later the 2nd and 6th squadrons were withdrawn back to the brigade lines . shortly after the relief , it was decided that the post was untenable and it was abandoned . while the canterburys were withdrawing south towards no.1 post they were attacked by the turks . the new zealanders turned and opened fire , then counter - attacked in a bayonet charge , forcing the turks to withdraw before re - occupying no.3 post . the 9th squadron had held out for twenty - eight hours , during which the brigade had lost forty - two men killed and 109 wounded , the vast majority from 9th squadron . turkish casualties were around two hundred men . aftermath the battle for no.3 post seemed a major event to those involved , but in general ian hamilton 's dispatches the fight only received a brief mention : " on 28 may , at 9 p.m. , a raid was made on a turkish post overlooking the beach 1 , 200 yards north of kaba tepe , h.m.s. " rattlesnake " co - operating . a party of 50 rifles rushed the post , killing or capturing the occupants . a similar raid was made against an enemy trench to the left of our line which cost the turks 200 casualties , as was afterwards ascertained . " the battle for no.3 post cost the new zealanders forty - two dead and 109 wounded . the brigade fought another two battles at gallipoli : the battle of chunuk bair , and the battle of hill 60 . their involvement in these battles proved costly , and in september 1915 , with a strength of only 249 men , they left the peninsula for the rest camp on the island of lemnos . during the campaign , 4 , 000 men served in the brigade ; 727 of those were killed and 1 , 239 wounded , which equates to a casualty rate of almost fifty per cent . amongst the dead were chambers – the commander of the 9th squadron – and elmslie of the 6th squadron . both survived the battle for no.3 post , but not the campaign , and were killed in action in august 1915 during the battle of chunuk bair . like many other new zealanders , neither have a known grave , and they are therefore commemorated on the chunuk bair memorial . the adjacent commonwealth war graves commission chunuk bair cemetery has 632 graves of which only ten men have been identified . during the 260 days of the gallipoli campaign , a total of 2 , 721 new zealand soldiers were killed and another 4 , 852 wounded , out of the total 8 , 556 new zealanders who took part . the exact number of turkish casualties at gallipoli is not known , but has been estimated at 87 , 000 dead , from a total of around 250 , 000 casualties . the war between the british and ottoman turkish empires ended on 31 october 1918 , following the signing of the armistice of mudros . in november , the canterbury mounted rifles were selected to be part of the allied force of occupation for the dardanelles peninsula . during their time there they took the opportunity to look for and bury the brigade 's war dead . kemal , the commander of the turkish 19th division , survived the war . following the turkish war of independence he became known as atatürk ( father of the turks ) and became the first president of the new republic of turkey , where he is acknowledged as the nation 's " founding father " .