IN more than 300 years of conflicts around the world, the Lancashire Fusiliers have distinguished themselves on almost every battlefield.

Culloden, against Bonnie Prince Charlie; the American War of Independence; defeating Napoleon; the Crimean War; the Boer War; the First World War; the D-Day landings; Burma; Suez; and, of course, in modern times Northern ireland and the Gulf.

But paradoxically, the act of bravery which best defines the heroism of the Lancashire Fusiliers was a futile one.

On the morning of April 25, 1915 a combined British and French naval force attacked the Turks in the Dardanelles Straits on the Gallipoli Peninsular. It was an attack ordered by the then First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and was meant to be a demonstration of the Allies' strength.

But the landings at Cape Helles turned into a tactical disaster.

Hours before there had been an air of optimism and expectancy among the local men who had impressed the officers of HMS Euryalus by "their discipline and bearing". After all, the battalion was about to go into serious battle for the first time in 50 years.

But from the moment the LFs disembarked from Euryalus, anchored a mile from the shore, in flimsy, overloaded boats they were at the mercy of Turkish snipers. Although hidden by the early-morning darkness, just two boats succeeded in reaching the beach.

Hundreds of troops were left to wade ashore, only to find that their guns were jammed by salt water and sand.

The Turks, commanded by German officers, held positions on a hill high above the beach from where their machine-gunners found the scattered Allied ranks easy targets. The casualty rate was appalling, and particularly high among officers, which added to the sense of disorganisation and lack of leadership.

Lesser ranks within the LFs heeded the call to step forward and display selfless courage and much-needed leadership. It was a time for heroes to emerge.

Through a combination of persistence and bravery the Turkish positions were eventually overwhelmed and beachheads were established at Helles and also at Gaba Tepe nearby.

It was a victory of sorts, but at a high price and casualties continued to pile up throughout the eight months of a floundering Gallipoli campaign. The Allies used 480,000 troops and suffered 285,000 casualties 60,000 of them killed in action before Lord Kitchener was forced to order a withdrawal.

On the morning of the Helles landing alone, the Lancashire Fusiliers lost 88 officers and 1,728 other ranks, many of them from 42 (East Lancashire) regiment made up of soldiers from Bury, Rochdale and Salford.

Among the decorations for outstanding bravery were six Victoria Crosses and 10 Military Crosses.

Many tributes were paid to the deeds of the battalion that day. The Commander-in-Chief, Sir Ian Hamilton, wrote: "It is my firm conviction that no finer feat of arms has ever been achieved by the British soldier, or any other soldier, than the storming of these trenches from open boats on the morning of April 25.

"The landing at W (code for the landing site) was entrusted to the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers and it was to the complete lack of the senses of danger or of fear of this daring battalion that we owed our astonishing success."

And the officers of HMS Euryalus, who carried the Fusiliers into battle, expressed their pride and added: "We feel for you all in your great loss, as if you were out own ship's company. But we know the magnificent gallantry of your regiment has made the name more famous than ever."

This report first appeared in the March-April, 2006, edition of our Limited Edition magazine. You can view the latest edition on-line HERE