Thatcham service to mark centenary of Gallipoli landings

Dawn service to be held on ANZAC day

A SERVICE to mark the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings will be held in the town tomorrow (Saturday, April 25)

The Gallipoli Campaign started at dawn on April 25, 1915, with British troops trying to land at Cape Helles and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) aiming for Gaba Tepe.

They met with fierce resistance from Ottoman troops and neither the British nor the ANZACs were able to advance.

During 1915 more than 550,000 Allied troops participated on land and in ships off the coast in the Gallipoli Campaign. In total their casualties, including those killed, sustaining serious injuries, falling sick or missing, numbered more than 200,000.

The Berkshire Yeomanry were deployed in the campaign with many men from West Berkshire serving in the theatre of war.

After three months at the beachhead, their numbers were reduced to a mere 50 men.

The Thatcham branch of the Royal British Legion will join Thatcham Town Council at a service to mark the centenary of the start of the battle.

The service will be held at the town’s war memorial on the A4 at 5.45am.