They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them. Lest We Forget

The shores of Gallipoli are intensely significant to Australians and New Zealanders, this now serene site, located at Turkey’s most westerly point had a profound effect on me as I stood and reflected on all I knew about the campaign to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in World War One. I recalled all I had learnt about the 25th of April 1915, and the 16,000 Australian and New Zealand troops who landed at what became known as Anzac Cove.

Gallipoli is a place I’ve always felt compelled to visit, the battles fought by the ANZACs established their great military reputation and left a legacy for generations of future Australians. What first struck me was how narrow the beach front is where they landed, and secondly the lack of cover the men had from the towering hills in front of them where the Turkish Soldiers laid in wait.

Having researched my family’s war history, there was more than one ancestor who fought at Gallipoli, and Thomas Green, the brother of my Great Grandfather was front and centre in my mind. He was part of the reinforcements arriving at the frontline on the 26th of May 1915. After a number of months in the trenches on the evening of August 17 volunteers were called for to sneak out and check a crater held by the enemy. Thomas bravely volunteered along with Private Fred Hicks, on their return to the trenches Fred got entangled in barbed wire which alerted the Turks who opened fire hitting Fred three times. Thomas managed to return unharmed, but Fred died shortly after.

Fred and Thomas were both from South Melbourne and enlisted on the same day. They trained together at the camp in Broadmeadows and boarded the Wiltshire in Port Melbourne to join the 8th Battalion in Gallipoli. These two men had spent the past eight months together so this would have been a devastating time for Thomas. Both were commended for their bravery and listed in dispatches on the 11th of December 1915.

Not far from ANZAC Cove is Lone Pine, the main ANZAC commemoration site in Gallipoli. It Honor’s both the Australian and New Zealand troops who died in the campaign with no known grave and those who rest at sea. It is a moving experience walking among rows of humble gravestones set in front of a large limestone memorial, engraved with the names of 4,932 men who perished and were never found. It was a solemn reminder that freedom and peace come at a cost.

The most memorable part of ticking this off my bucket list was the moment a fellow Australian traveller recited the Ode of Remembrance. The group stood in silence at ANAZAC Cove heads bowed paying our respects. It was a sombre experience but one I’m grateful for and Lest we Forget those men who served and sacrificed in this conflict.

To read more about my visit to Gallipoli and tour of Turkey read my story called – Ancient Ruins, Cultural Delights & Natural Wonders.

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