1915 13th April
Anzac Landing Coast Reconnoitred
Birdwood and senior ANZAC officers inspect the Gallipoli coast from HMS Queen Elizabeth before the landings.
First World War · Gallipoli · permanent subject timeline
William Birdwood
Senior commander associated with the Anzac forces. This page combines historical context with 24 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Gallipoli archive.
Historical context
William Birdwood: overview and significance
What happened?
William Birdwood commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was closely connected with the development and defence of the Anzac sector.
Why was it important?
Birdwood's command made him a major figure in the military history and memory of the Anzac experience at Gallipoli.
World History Database records
William Birdwood timeline
The records below are selected from the 319-record Gallipoli archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1915
1915 25th April
ANZAC
Lands a force of Australians & New Zealanders subsequently know as ANZAC Cove
1915 25th April
Anzac Corps Lands North of Gaba Tepe
Birdwood's ANZAC Corps lands north of its intended objective and establishes a precarious beachhead.
1915 25th April
Battle of Gallipoli
Lands a force of Australians & New Zealanders subsequently know as ANZAC Cove
1915 25th April
Evacuation Advice Sent after First Day
Birdwood reports his divisional commanders' recommendation to evacuate after the confused first day ashore.
1915 April
Anzac Corps Assigned Gaba Tepe Sector
Birdwood's corps is assigned a landing north of Gaba Tepe to threaten the peninsula's central communications.
1915 2nd May
Baby 700 Offensive Approved
Birdwood approves an offensive intended to seize Baby 700 and improve the vulnerable ANZAC position.
1915 19th May
Anzac Line Holds against Mass Assault
Birdwood's corps defeats the large Ottoman attack and retains the entire ANZAC perimeter.
1915 24th May
Burial Armistice Arranged
Birdwood participates in arrangements for a temporary truce to bury thousands of dead between the opposing lines.
1915 25th May
HMS Triumph Sinking Witnessed off Anzac
Birdwood witnesses the loss of HMS Triumph after the battleship is torpedoed while supporting the ANZAC beachhead.
1915 30th June
Late June Ottoman Attack Repulsed
Birdwood's troops repel another Ottoman assault against the ANZAC perimeter at the end of June.
1915 June
Water Supply Crisis Managed at Anzac
Birdwood's staff struggles to maintain drinking-water supplies for troops crowded into the ANZAC perimeter.
1915 July
Anzac Disease Burden Reported
Birdwood reports increasing sickness as heat, flies and poor sanitation weaken the garrison.
1915 July
Sari Bair Breakout Concept Expanded
Birdwood's proposal to seize the Sari Bair heights becomes the core of the August offensive.
1915 7th August
Nek Attack Retained despite Sari Bair Delay
Birdwood allows the Nek assault to proceed although the supporting advance toward Chunuk Bair is behind schedule.
1915 7th August
The Nek Assault Proceeds
Birdwood's ANZAC command proceeds with the attack at The Nek despite the failure to secure the intended supporting heights.
1915 27th August
Second Hill 60 Assault Ordered
Birdwood's force renews the attempt to seize Hill 60, using Australian, New Zealand, British and Irish troops at the Anzac-Suvla junction.
1915 28th November
Winter Storm Hits ANZAC Positions
Birdwood's troops endure flooding, snow, frostbite and exposure as a severe winter storm strikes Gallipoli.
1915 8th December
Formal Order to Evacuate ANZAC Received
Birdwood receives the final order to evacuate the ANZAC and Suvla positions.
1915 10th December
Sick Wounded and Stores Removed before Final Evacuation
The evacuation programme removes sick and wounded men, surplus troops and valuable stores before the final nights of withdrawal.
1915 15th December
Detailed Anzac Suvla Evacuation Orders Issued
Detailed orders are issued for the final evacuation phase, with secrecy and deception measures designed to conceal the withdrawal.
1916
1916 February
First ANZAC Corps Formed in Egypt
Birdwood takes command of I ANZAC Corps after the post-Gallipoli reorganisation.
1916 April
First ANZAC Corps Deploys to France
Birdwood's I ANZAC Corps deploys from Egypt to the Western Front.
1916 August
Pozieres Operations Coordinated by I ANZAC
Birdwood coordinates successive Australian divisions fighting around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Gallipoli and Dardanelles records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
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