scout platoon, and urged both his men and those of the 9th Battalion to immediately begin climbing the cliffs that overlooked the beach. Weir, along with "B" and "C" Companies of the battalion, reached what later became known as "Plugge's Plateau". Heavy fighting followed the initial landing and, within five days, half of Weir's battalion had been killed or wounded. The Australian and New Zealand advance inland from Anzac Cove was subsequently checked by the defending Ottoman forces and was eventually contained in a small beachhead inside a series of ridges that ranged around the cove. Weir was the only commanding officer from the 3rd Brigade to go forward of the first ridge, and a ridge running off the 400 Plateau subsequently became known as "Weir Ridge". As stalemate set in, Weir continued to command his battalion throughout the early stages of the campaign until 25 August, when he was appointed acting brigadier general and placed in command of the 3rd Brigade. On 11 September, he became ill and was evacuated to Malta, where he was admitted to hospital. He was subsequently evacuated to the United Kingdom, where he convalesced until January 1916, when he was appointed commandant of the Australian reinforcement camp at Weymouth, Dorset. Western Front Weir's health had not completely recovered by the time he embarked for Egypt, and he rejoined his battalion on 4 March 1916. After his departure, the 10th had fought through the remainder of the campaign before being withdrawn along with the rest of the Allied force in December 1915. The battalion was subsequently moved back to Egypt. In mid-1916, the bulk of the AIF was transferred to the Western Front, and Weir led the 10th Battalion through July and August 1916 during the Battles of Pozières and Mouquet Farm. At Pozières, the battalion suffered 350 casualties in four days. By the time of the battle, Weir was the only original battalion commander remaining in the 1st Australian Division, and had turned 50 years of age. On 23 August, immediately after Mouquet Farm, Weir was again appointed acting commander of the 3rd Brigade. Exhausted, on 7 September 1916 he asked to be relieved, and his request was granted. He returned to Australia on 23 September 1916, and his AIF appointment was terminated on 14 December. In the Australian official history of the war, Bean observed that despite his age, Weir "took his battalion