The first objective for soldiers coming ashore in enemy-held territory was to establish a
beachhead, a safe section of beach protected from enemy attack where supplies and extra troops could be safely brought ashore. ANZAC Cove was always within of the front-line, well within the range of Turkish
artillery, though spurs from the high ground of
Plugge's Plateau, which rose above Arıburnu, provided some protection. General
William Birdwood, commander of Anzac, made his headquarters in a gully overlooking the cove, as did the commanders of the
New Zealand and Australian Division and the
Australian 1st Division. On 29 April, General Birdwood recommended that the original landing site between the two headlands be known as "Anzac Cove" and that the surrounding, hitherto nameless, area occupied by his corps be known as "ANZAC". The beach itself became an enormous supply dump and two
field hospitals were established, one at either end. Four floating
jetties were quickly constructed for the landing of stores, later replaced in July by a permanent structure known as "Watson's Pier". The volume of stores quickly overflowed onto the adjacent beaches; firstly onto
Brighton Beach to the south of the cove and later onto
North Beach beyond Arıburnu. Three
wireless radio stations were established on the beach to maintain contact with the fleet. While the cove was relatively sheltered from shellfire from across the peninsula, the Chanak forts, as well as the Turkish
battleships
Turgut Reis and
Barbaros Hayreddin anchored in the
Dardanelles, shelled the waters off the cove and it was partially exposed to view from
Gaba Tepe to the south and completely open to view from Nibrunesi Point at the southern tip of
Suvla Bay to the north. Nibrunesi Point was under the guns of the
Royal Navy so was never used to fire on ANZAC, however the well-concealed Turkish battery at Gaba Tepe, known as "Beachy Bill", was a constant menace. Private Victor Laidlaw wrote of the dangers posed by Beachy Bill in his diary: Despite the shelling and Turkish snipers, ANZAC Cove was a popular
swimming beach for the soldiers. At ANZAC it was a struggle to supply sufficient
water for drinking and there was rarely any available for washing. Most soldiers disregarded all but the fiercest shelling rather than interrupt the one luxury available to them. ==Commemorations==