Gallipoli

Early start but the Gallipoli Peninsular is 5 hours away. Now if you are ignorant of Geography like me, you thought Gallipoli ( Gelibolu) was one place not a whole area. The Peninsular is surrounded by the Aegean Sea on one side and the Dardanelles. The Dardanelles is a waterway that was controlled by the Ottoman and was a strategic supply route during the First World War. The allies wanted it but the Ottoman/German alliance wanted to keep it. The first attempt from the sea to capture it failed and so a second but ill fated plan land attack was developed . This is the story of Gallipoli and of the ANZAC soldiers.

The land is steep and rough. This is the area where British ( on the flat) and New Zealand soldiers fought. The New Zealanders reached the top where you are standing. It was known as the second ridge or various other names according to who you were. Once this area could not be secured, it was realised the campaign was doomed and evacuation of the tr

It would be daunting looking up from the beach at the hills above and thinking ,how am I going to up there under rifle and artillery fire. The Turkey troops held all the high ground.

When they dug out the Turkish trenches in this area at Second ridge, remains were found from different soldiers. They were all buried together and a memorial created for all the soldiers. Ataturk said his famous speech which said that all the soldiers buried at Gallipoli were now the sons of Turkey since they had given their lives.

The campaign began in open areas such as Brighton beach and south areas with the New Zealanders and Australians tackling the high areas. After eight months , 97000 deaths, the futility of the battle was realised. The Turkey forces lost 300,000. They also have memorials on the peninsular and there is a statue for the last soldier of the campaign who visited when he was 109.

It was 30 degrees yesterday. Where you exhausted at the end of the day. Imagine the soldiers in the height of summer with temperatures greater than that and limited water. It is no wonder that so many died from disease as well as their wounds.  Winter also brought misery.Their suffering definitely deserves to be remembered and their strength in believing they were doing it to make the world better.Now the place is quiet and peaceful and a fitting resting place for all those soldiers.

Ready for Troy. Don’t fuss, we are going tomorrow. We are crossing the Dardanelles by ferry, spending the night and heading off tomorrow. You can have a rest!