Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, South Africa.
• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.

Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.

Detail :

One account of the Battalion action in which RSM Steeden died is as follows; When the disembarkation had been completed the C.O. found the Battalion resting on the beach with bayonets fixed, and ready to move against the ridges to the north of the bay - KARAKOL DARG and KIRETCH TEPE SIRT. The first company to advance was under the direction of Captain OLIVER, with the trenches at GHAZI BABA, and a signal-post on the sea at BIYUK KEMIKLI as its objective. Major BATES with R company moved against the trenches north and east of GHAZI BABA. A third company followed close upon them, and the C.O. with the fourth followed in reserve. Having moved across the gaps where SALT LAKE runs into the sea the Battalion went forward along the beach, where there were many mines, but, fortunately none were exploded. The trenches were reached without serious opposition, and were carried at the point of the bayonet, the Turks retiring on KARAKOL DARG, followed up by the Battalion. The ground traversed was very rough and difficult, and several men, including the medical officer and stretcher-bearers, lost touch with their comrades, and were either killed or fell into the hands of the enemy. Then day broke on the 7th August the Battalion was astride the ridge, about half a mile inland, faced by the Turks in considerable numbers. About three hundred rifles were out of action for several hours owing to their having become clogged with sand and salt water. The British attack was begun, and was strenuously opposed by the enemy, but the Battalion succeeded in taking the ridge for about three miles inland, and was then brought to a standstill owing to heavy opposition in front and to being enfiladed on both sides. There was no means of communicating with Brigade Headquarters, and no other unit was at hand, but about noon a message was sent by flag signal to a destroyer and shortly before darkness fell the Battalion was reinforced by two battalions 10th Division, but even this support did not enable a further advance to be made, and, after dark, the force prepared sangars to enable them to hold on during the night. About 2 a.m. on the following morning the Battalion, which had suffered heavily from gun and rifle fire, heat, and lack of water, was relieved and sent back into reserve. All that day, Sunday, 8th August, the Battalion remained in reserve.

Masonic :

Sergeant of the Manchester Regiment (1912). War service is recorded on his line in the contribution record followed by "Killed in action 20th Aug 1915."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley