Pauline Priano submitted the following:-
Alexander Turner, son of widow Mary Turner was born at Gateshead, County Durham.
On the outbreak of war he was one of the first to enlist at Jarrow near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, assigned firstly as Private 8901 to the 2nd Battalion Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment which had returned from Malta upon the declaration of war, then posted to Whitley Bay having been transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, part of the Tyne Garrison. The 3rd Battalion was also a training unit supplying troops as reinforcements for service overseas.
He departed July 11th 1915 from Liverpool to Mundros having been transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment part of the New Armies and first saw action upon his arrival at Sulva Bay, Gallipoli, August 6th 1915, attached to the 32nd Brigade, 11th Division. The landings at Sulva Bay began at 10pm with virtually no Turkish opposition other than sniper fire. The following evening the British troops attacked the hills around the bay and suffered 1,700 casualties, having received news of the landings the Turks despatched 5 Divisions to Sulva Bay. In the coming days the British forces attacked at Tekkie Tepe ridge but were repelled by the newly arrived Turkish divisions. The losses were heavy in the actions that ensued, the Allies suffered 18,000 casualties at Sulva Bay and Anzac Cove and a further 3,500 at Helles. No progress was made by either side which led to a stalemate of trench warfare over the following months until the British forces were evacuated in December 1915 and sent as reinforcements to the Western Front.
Private 3/8901 Alexander Turner is deemed to have been killed in action November 6th 1915. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 20,956 names inscribed on the Helles Memorial, Turkey, commemorating servicemen from the Commonwealth who died during the Gallipoli Campaign and who have no known grave. The memorial, in the form of an obelisk, stands over 30 metres high on the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsular and can be seen by ships passing through the Dardanelles.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Newcastle Journal 24/11/1915 reports:-
Mrs Watt, 19 Cambrian Street Jarrow has received word that her brother Private Alexander Turner 2nd West Yorks of Hebburn has been killed in the Dardanelles.
Alexander Turner is remembered at Hebburn on H93.43
