Galipoli Sept 24

On to Galipoli

The ferry ride is only 40 minutes and when we disembark we turned west to drive to the peninsula of Galipoli.

Our visit is to the National Memorial grounds of the battle of Galipoli. We travel past the area called Bloody Ridge – an area designated because the men were down to fighting with their bayonnets and the ground ran with their blood.

This peninsula especially honours the ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corp) and Turkish soldiers. There were stories of how during times of 'cease fire' the two armies would exchange foods with each other. The Turks gave fresh fruit and vegetables and the ANZAC men returned chocolates and such like. The next day they would be instructed to kill each other.

The campaign for control of the ridge was a horrendous battle of 8 and a half months. 500,000 lives were involved. 85 thousand Ottoman and 60 thousand allies died.

There were terrible errors made by the British who sent the ANZAC in.

We first walked through Lone Pine memorial, a place where the ANZAC military are honoured and buried. Here alone 33 thousand are buried. It was a very poignant and sad walk. I was one of several who cried at the waste of life. It is a beautiful place in which they 'rest'. There are 30 ANZAC cemeteries across this knoll.

Ataturk was responsible for 19 Turkish divisions. Their monument said that they fought like they couldn't lose and then when fighting was over they became men again and bound up the wounds of their enemies. That was said by an Australian commander.

It really was an emotional and sad reminder of a tragic 8 month period of futile 'war games'. God help us all.