Malone’s New Zealanders, the Gloucesters and Welsh could now gaze at the distant prize of the Dardanelles straits and the rear of the Turkish line. Was this ‘Victory’? Where were the Turks? Chunuk Bair would become one of the campaign’s fiercest battles, as desperate fighting for its summit would go on for two days. Because it was deemed so close to being a ‘victory’, it would also be written as one of the greatest tragedies of the Gallipoli campaign. In reality, even if the whole of the Sari Bair ridge could have been captured and retained, it would arguably offer no more of a tactical advantage to the allies than any other position at Anzac. Possession of Sari Bair would only be a stepping-stone; this path of dreams was far away from anything close to being a ‘Victory’.
The 13th (Western) Division commander, Major General Frederick Shaw, was watching the attack:
There is an observation post here and from it one can see a large portion of the country over which we are operating. To that post about 4.15 went a procession of sleepy generals and staff carrying glasses, telescopes and anxiously awaiting the dawn, to show the success or otherwise of the troops. It began to get gradually lighter and all glasses were turned on the summit of Chunuk Bair, which was the only point of attack which could matter. Still it got lighter, and then someone said “I see men on Chunuk Bair”, “They are our men”, said another, and then “By Jove! They are our men”, and so they were. We had reached the summit, but should we hold it and should we progress?23
It was now light and the Turks along the ridge now observed Malone’s men on Chunuk Bair. Colonel Mustafa Kemal’s was headquartered with his 19th Division on Battleship Hill, so could clearly see the crisis unfolding. He despatched his aide-de-camp to Chunuk Bair to report. This aide was shot on the way, so Mustafa Kemal next sent his chief of staff, who confirmed the critical situation and that the British had established a position on the ridge.
Confusion amongst the Turks started to reign. No one knew who was in command, what the intentions of the Anzacs were, all exacerbated by some units being unfamiliar with the ground. Major Nuri, 24 Regiment, telephoned HQ for more information but received a blunt reply,
At the Corps Headquarters they told me to attack on Chunuk Bair but I did not know the ground and asked for details. When I asked for the details, Esat Pasha and his chief of staff said angrily, ‘There is no point in talking, just go’. Tell me, who is the commander there?” Mustafa Kemal said, Go to Chunuk Bair immediately and the time and circumstances will decide who is the commander there.
Originally the German, Kannengiesser, was in command locally but he was wounded earlier in the day, and when his chief of staff took command this was only briefly, as he too was wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Cemil was then appointed as the new commander, but when the Turkish 8th Division arrived, Colonel Ali Reza became the commander. To make matters even more confusing, Liman von Sanders then appointed another German officer, Pötrih, as the commander of the Turkish 9th Division. The spilt in army group responsibility has been mentioned previously, with Hill 971 coming under Suvla command, whilst Chunuk Bair was the responsibility of the Turkish 3rd Army Group.