In August, with the arrival of five fresh British divisions, a series of offensives was launched in order to break the stalemate. Landings at Suvla Bay established a third beachhead and expanded the Allied front line, but the British assault stalled and these dubious achievements scarcely justified the cost in lives and material.

Attempts to break out of the Anzac position by night attacks on the heights of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971 to the north also proved costly failures. The August offensive resulted in over 2,000 casualties from a diversionary attack at Lone Pine, 765 killed in the attack on Sari Bair, and a further 234 killed in a futile charge at the Nek. In the last major operations of the August offensive British and Anzac troops assaulted Hill 60 in an attempt to connect the Suvla and Anzac lines. After fierce fighting the hill was finally captured but the achievement was of liruited tactical value.

With the failure of the August offensive went the last chance of success on Galipoli. Reinforcements were desperately needed to make good the losses. The arrival of the brigades of the 2nd Australian Division in August and September brought the Anzac garrison up to a strength of 37,000 men, crowding the congested slopes and valleys with further living quarters and dugouts.

Mining and tunnelling now characterised the fighting at Anzac. Battle casualties were fewer but the wastage due to disease, death and wounds increased dramatically.