Tracing the Families of Soldiers Who Fought in Gallipoli

Gallipoli, April 25, 1915, early morning.The first Anzac troops had been on land for around four hours. Image: Captain Leer, encircled on left photo (Credit: Australian War Memorial), and Halis Bey, encircled on right photo (Credit: Halis Bey's family

Captain Leer (encircled on right photo) and Halis Bey (encircled on left photo) Source: Australian War Memorial/Halis Bey's family

Casualties were already high.

 

Australian Captain Charles Leer and his men had just landed at Anzac Cove.

 

Facing the Australian advance, Turkish Captain Halis Bey moved his men into position at Third Ridge, near Lone Pine.

 

By day's end, Captain Charles Leer was dead, fallen in the final fierce fighting against the Ottoman forces.

 

Turkish Captain Halis Bey was alive - but had been shot three times by Australian snipers.

 

Over 100 years later, SBS journalist Ismail Kayhan traced the families of the two men who fought so fiercely against each other on that first Anzac day - and spoke with their descendants in Turkey and Australia.