Gallipoli Letters 1912-1915

On the day the Gallipoli Anzac Landings occurred, that is, on April 25, 1915, Captain Yusuf Kenan Bey was killed fighting against the invading forces. He was 34 years old when he died ana left a 28 year old wife and two children behind.

Because Captain Yusuf Kenan was among a small group of Ottoman officers who had been defending Gallipoli and the Dardanelle Straits between 1912-1915, his letters and their replies, first and foremost written to his wife and other family members and acquaintances, provide us a unique glimpse into Ottoman family life during wartime, and the way war affected the lives of those on the home frorit.

This book attempts to  uncover the war's impact both on and off the battlefront through an examination of the correspondence betwen Captain, Yusuf Kenan, his wife Zehra and their family members and close acquaintances. The original letters and their transcriptions are included in it as they are the foundation of this study.