Gallipoli. 
We all know about Gallipoli, I guess. Words cannot really describe the feeling of being here, even on a beautiful day. My mind and heart have been captured by the enormity of the historical task, the ruggedness of the place, the respectful way in which Turks and others reverence the memory of those who died here, and for me, the fact that this failure in military terms helped form the nationhoods of Australia and Turkey. The pics you see here are just a sampling of the many I took, me above Anzac Cove, and 'The Sphinx' is the pic below which shows the barrier ahead of the troops. The Anzac Cove landing was thy wrong landing place by about a mile. What a difference I notice as I walk in the sunshine above. How the commands got it so wrong.
We all know about Gallipoli, I guess. Words cannot really describe the feeling of being here, even on a beautiful day. My mind and heart have been captured by the enormity of the historical task, the ruggedness of the place, the respectful way in which Turks and others reverence the memory of those who died here, and for me, the fact that this failure in military terms helped form the nationhoods of Australia and Turkey. The pics you see here are just a sampling of the many I took, me above Anzac Cove, and 'The Sphinx' is the pic below which shows the barrier ahead of the troops. The Anzac Cove landing was thy wrong landing place by about a mile. What a difference I notice as I walk in the sunshine above. How the commands got it so wrong.
I cannot begin to retrace the disasters of April 15 1915, and anyway we can all read that easily. I make a promise to myself to go and visit the pictoral history of those who fought here. I encouarage you to do the same. Here is a pic of an Anzac giving a dying Turk a drink of water...that is Baptism in action, I think.Let me finish this chat with the famous quote from the Turkish leader at Gallipoli and their General who was to become Turkey's first President, Mustafa Ataturk, as he honoured all the fallen, especially the Anzacs, at Gallipoli.
"Those heroes that have shed their blood and lost their lives...you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace.There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehemets to us where they lie side by side here in tis counrty of ours...You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bossom and arein peace. And having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
Lest we forget. (not by Attaturk)
I am off to Troy tomorrow morning and then Ephesus where we will recount different battles. Fr Troy and I are travelling well together but I fear he will want a bet on the horses tomorrow. Good night for now. If there are spelling mistakes, it is because I cannot turn the Turkish translator off my blog! Rats!
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