In 1915, a British battalion stormed the beaches of Gallipoli in one of the most daring — and disastrous — amphibious operations in modern military history. By the end of the day, just a few hundred men from the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers were still standing. And yet, from the chaos and bloodshed, six soldiers would eventually be awarded the Victoria Cross — an astonishing feat that became known as “Six VCs before breakfast.”
But how did it happen? What went wrong? And who were the men behind the medals?
👉 Watch the full story below as I explore the landing, the legends, and the legacy — all based on first-hand accounts, expert sources, and battlefield detail.
Setting the Scene – Why Gallipoli?
The Gallipoli campaign was born out of frustration. With the Western Front locked in stalemate, British planners hoped to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war by landing troops in Turkey and capturing Constantinople.
But as historian Peter Hart notes, the plan was flawed from the start: under-resourced, poorly led, and hopelessly optimistic. What followed was a logistical and military disaster — but also a moment of astonishing courage.
W Beach: Hell by the Water’s Edge
On 25 April 1915, the 29th Division — made up of professional soldiers from across the Empire — landed at Cape Helles. Among them were the Lancashire Fusiliers, heading for a stretch of sand known as W Beach.
It was a death trap.
- The beach was wired, mined, and overlooked by well-positioned Turkish trenches.
- The preliminary bombardment had failed to neutralise the defences.
- As the first wave hit the beach at 6am, they were cut down by rifle fire.
Captain Harold Clayton recalled being waist-deep in the surf, bullets tearing into the boats, men drowning or bleeding out before they even reached the sand.
Fighting Through the Wire
Despite the carnage, small groups began to push forward. Captain Willis and Sergeant Richards led the way, even as rifles jammed and sand clogged their weapons. Some soldiers used their boots to force their rifles open, returning fire as snipers picked them off at close range.
Reinforcements landed and moved to the west, finding gaps in the defences. Brigadier General Steuart Hare, Captain Frankland, and Adjutant Bromley led the men up the cliffs under fire, capturing key positions by sheer will and aggression.
The Aftermath and the Six VCs
By the end of the day, W Beach had been renamed Lancashire Landing, and General Sir Ian Hamilton called it one of the greatest feats of arms in British history. But the cost was immense. Only 11 officers and 399 men were still fit for duty.
Initially, just three VCs were awarded — to Captain Willis, Sergeant Richards, and Private Keneally — based on a ballot among the survivors. But in 1917, after public pressure and lobbying by Brigadier Owen Wolley-Dod, the other three men also received their Victoria Crosses:
- Captain Cuthbert Bromley, killed later in the campaign when his troopship was sunk
- Sergeant Frank Stubbs, killed during the landing and buried in an unmarked grave
- Lance Corporal John Grimshaw, who survived the war and later retired as a lieutenant colonel
These were not symbolic gestures. These were men who led, fought, and bled at the front of the charge.
Remembering the Men Behind the Medals
Each of the six had a story worth telling:
- William Keneally died of wounds at Gully Ravine in June 1915.
- Sergeant Richards lost a leg and said he was proud to have been chosen by his comrades, but that “we all did our duty.”
- Captain Willis survived Gallipoli and the Western Front but later fell on hard times.
- Captain Bromley, a decorated athlete and experienced soldier, drowned at sea after surviving multiple wounds.
- Lance Corporal Grimshaw, originally awarded the DCM, was stunned to learn his medal had been upgraded to the VC.
- Sergeant Stubbs, a lifelong soldier, was killed storming the beach. His name is remembered, though his grave is not.
In 2014, all six medals were reunited at The Fusilier Museum in Bury and displayed publicly for the first time. If you were lucky enough to visit, let me know in the comments.
Final Thoughts
The Gallipoli campaign was a strategic failure. But on that narrow beach, under blistering fire, a handful of men did the impossible. They didn’t just survive — they led. And the story of their heroism remains one of the most extraordinary episodes in British military history.
🎖️ Watch the full video above to hear their stories in full — and let me know which Victoria Cross winner you’d like to hear more about in future episodes.
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Perhaps the Australian RSL should read up on this particular event. And stop denigrating the British involvement in this affair.
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