Saturday, May 31, 2008

Gallipoli

This was another of the highlight of our trip – a visit to various sites that have become household names in New Zealand and Australia – ANZAC Cove, Chanuk Bair, Lone Pine, the Dardanelles etc.














From ANZAC Cove one can look back at the hill that the ANZACs were supposed to capture – an impossible task when you see the terrain close up. If they had indeed landed at the correct target about a mile away history could well have been so different.

Chanuk Bair memorial











The words Kamal Ataturk wrote for the inscription to mark this site and others seem to have even greater power as we read them today than when they were first produced. In a way they also have a greater healing effect and will, I am sure, be seen as amongst one of the most powerful and meaningful inscriptions ever.










Today ANZAC Cove is a large grassy area marked by tombstones. On the day we visited you could have described it as a ‘lovely spot’, as you will see from the pictures posted here – what a very different thing it must have been in 1915.

We visited the area where the traditional ANZAC service is held each year; it wasn’t as large as I had imagined it would be. Workmen were maintaining the site while we were there.

As we visited each of the sites in the area our guide explained their part and significance in the campaign. One has to be impressed with the work of the Turkish government and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in maintaining all of the sites in the area and especially Lone Pine, the main Australian memorial, the area given to the Turkish 57th regiment, and Chanuk Bair where the New Zealand memorial center is.

The bus we travelled in was made up mostly of young Kiwis and Aussies – may future generations continue to come to this place. We have been most impressed by the young Kiwis we have met while travelling; the respect they show for the countries they are in and the quiet but confident manner in which they go about their activities.


1 comment:

Ngamoenga said...

It must have been very moving to be standing there, I have read about the battle fought there. I think I too would like to go there. The pictures are great and come to life with your meaningful captions. I, like Raquel, have been logging in 2 or 3 times a day to catch up with you both.
Have sent your blog address to Steve so that he too can follow you

Lorna