The next three months until the end of July were spent largely in holding, consolidating and expanding the Anzac enclave.

In early-May a force of 5,000 Anzac troops was sent by sea from Anzac to Helles to assist the British forces to break out of the Helles position. The 2nd Australian Brigade suffered 1,056 casualties and the New Zealand Brigade about 750 casualties in this operation which achieved nothing.

On 19 May the Turks launched a massive counter-attack on the Anzac line. They committed their entire force of over four divisions ( about 42,000 men ) in an attempt to push the invaders into the sea. The Allies met them with devastating machine-gun and rifle fire and naval gunfire support and the attack became a slaughter. The Turks suffered about 10,000 casualties, including 3,000 killed. Australian losses were 628, including 160 killed.

On the day following the attack, unofficial truces took place along the front line as both sides sought to recover their dead and wounded. Four days later a formal armistice was arranged to bury the dead, putrefying in the summer heat. Restrained fraternisation took place between the two sides with Turkish and Anzac soldiers exchanging token gifts of photographs and cigarettes. The Anzacs thereafter developed an almost affectionate respect for the Turkish soldiers, labelling them with nicknames, such as 'Johnnie Turk'.