2. The Balkan Pits

The first time we found a mention of them, was probably in C.E.W. Bean's 'The Story of Anzac' where he describes the Turkish positions opposite the south flank of the Australian sector :
 

'On the seaward ridge were several short lengths of old entrenchments, dating from before the landing and not occupied by either side. Among these, 500 yards south of Chatham's, were the "Balkan Gun Pits," apparently part of the defences of Gaba Tepe in some previous campaign. They consisted of two embrasures - for either guns or machine-guns - on the seaward side of the ridge, looking out obliquely towards Anzac and each communicating by a small trench with the inland slope of the hill. They had been roofed over with brushwood, but were not usually occupied by the enemy, who till June had garisoned only the extreme end of the seaward spur, a knoll upon which were the two small parallel excavations known as the "Twin Trenches." But as soon as the light horse had established Chatham's Post, the enemy also - as invariably happened - had begun to extend his own positions. His working parties had been heard nightly near the Balkan Pits preparing a new position, which he was also connecting with those farther inland by means of two new works known as the "Echelon Trenches," shutting in the Australian flank.'

So far for Bean's introduction. In itself nothing special, after all there were hundreds of these obscure positions, but further reading soon made clear there was something more about these obscure pits. As a matter of fact, Bean tells how on 28th June, they were the target of a feint attack that was to be carried out by the 5th and 7th regiments of the 2nd Light Horse brigade.  The purpose of this 'stunt' was to prevent Turkish reinforcements from moving south to the Helles sector, where an attack had been planned. At the same time, it would, as a welcome side-effect, turn Turkish attention away from the north flank, where the preparations for Birdwood's big August  plan were in their final stages.

Bean then continued to tell in high graphical detail the happenings of that 28th June, where the pits were almost taken by the 5th Light Horse. Even the fact was there that these troops were allegedly shot upon by one of their own destroyers, an occurrence that would repeat itself a good week later on the crest of Chunuk Bair. And what was even more interesting, with this text, the author published two of his famous little sketches :

         Click pics to enlarge        

At the time, that was all we had. Further reading of Bean revealed that later on, in August, new plans for new raids were made, even that a second one was attempted, but nothing more. But he had raised our interest in the matter. If these Balkan Pits had ever existed, it was well possible their location might be retraced, and if they had been fought over, perhaps we could find information about them elsewhere.

As far as I knew, two battlefield guides for the Gallipoli peninsula existed. First there was Phil Taylor and Pam Cupper's 'Gallipoli - A Battlefield Guide', by far the most complete one. To our disappointment however,  it did not make us any wiser :

'The Turkish position was about 400m south of Chatham's Post, near the Balkan Pits, part of a series of old trenches, existing there before the campaign. During the day,  both sides sniped each other across the scrub.'

Apparently, those 400m was the only clue Taylor had, and that had not been enough for him to find the spot. The second guide, Nigel Steel's 'The Battlefields of Gallipoli Then and Now', did not even mention them, not then and certainly not now.