The attack on Lone Pine on the 400 Plateau feature was one of the major engagements of the August Offensive, the aim of which was to break the trench warfare deadlock and allow a British advance inland to the Dardanelles. This particular operation was planned as a diversion to draw Turkish reserves away from a major attack to be launched by other Allied units to capture the high features of Chunuk Bair, Hill Q and Hill 971 in the northern part of the Anzac Sector. The attack which had been preceded with three days of preparatory artillery fire, commenced at 5.30 pm on 6 August and resulted in four days of vicious hand-to-hand fighting in strongly-defended Ottoman positions. The Australians suffered more than 2,200 casualties and the Ottomans over 5,000. Seven Australians were awarded the VC for their actions at Lone Pine out of a total of nine VCs for the whole Gallipoli campaign. Three VCs were awarded to NSW men: Captain Alfred Shout, Lance Corporal Leonard Keysor and Private John Hamilton. The Australian 1st Brigade (NSW) was the main formation used in the attack, but despite repeated attempts by the enemy to win back the position, it was held, being one of the few major pieces of ground captured during the campaign.
