The sun rises on our backs, the cool air bites against check, the gentle wash of waves upon the shore. The final notes of the Last post ring out across the hushed crowd. Silence pervades ANZAC Cove upon the coast of the Gallipoli Peninsula.
I realised quite early on in my travels that I would be in Turkey quite close to ANZAC day. It made sense to me that I should extend my time in Turkey so that I would be able to attend the annual ANZAC commemoration held on the Gallipoli peninsula itself
After some research I concluded that experiencing ANZAC day in Turkey would be better served with a tour group. So, I signed up for an ANZAC day tour with PP Travel.
The tour would include a guided day around the Gallipoli Peninsula visiting a number of historic sites before travelling to ANZAC cove to spend the night awaiting the dawn service on ANZAC day.
After two months of travel through Turkey we made our way back to Istanbul and settled into our hostel. On the evening of the 23rd April we made our way to the pre-tour meetup. It was fun being in a room full of mostly Kiwi’s and Aussie’s especially after such an extended period of time with so many different different languages and accents. A great evening getting to know others on the tour.
Early morning 24th of April I prepared an overnight bag and carefully pack everything away before heading out. I gave myself plenty of time to get to the meeting point with the intention of finding some water and snacks along the way.
However, it would seem that sometimes you can be too early for Istanbul. Instead of buying water and snacks I found myself being guided to a carpet shop and some half an hour later walked out with a carpet. I paid 600 Turkish Lira for it from an initial price of 1400 Turkish Lira. Did I get a good deal perhaps? Was I intending to buy a carpet that day? No. Oh well I was now the owner of a Turkish carpet and came with a good story.
The carpet in question eventually made its way to New Zealand when I sent a package home in Serbia.
I was now out of time for snack hunting so with a newly added carpet and an emptied pocket I joined the tour group at the meeting point and we made our way to the bus. It was a quiet start on the trip with many still sleeping from a late night. I shared my morning carpet shopping tale to great amusement.
Several hours later we made it to Eceabat, a town near the southern end of the Gallipoli peninsula. Here we would stop for lunch before heading on to explore the sites of the campaign itself.
The waterfront of Eceabat has a few impressive memorial displays.
One a life size replica of trench warfare at The Nek. Another a scale model of the Gallipoli Peninsula, Dardanelles, and western coast of mailand Turkey showing both the historic battle lines and sites and the modern day memorials. Both were confronting to the scale that the Gallipoli Campaign was.
After a lunch of Tripe soup (translation difficulties) we were off again to the sites of the war, Through the afternoon we visited Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, the Turkish Memorial, Quinns Post, and many other important sites and memorials.
Eventually our afternoon of touring came to an end and we returned to Eceabat for dinner and to await our trip to AZAC cover.
Near midnight we boarded the buses again to make the trip to ANZAC cove. We set up in small groups across the grass to spend the night awaiting the dawn service that would come some hours later. My little group sat nearer the back along the path that the many journalists and photographers were standing.
Through the night documentaries played on screen detailing many aspects of the war including a few lesser known ones. I took this time to watch and listen, to read through the memorial books that we had been given, to reflect on the sites visited through the day. And in doing so I found myself at the attention of photographers, who stopped to take my photo as I sat there reading, bundled up in my jacket and sleeping bag.
I also found myself the subject of 4 different news interviews. The first was with Newshub NZ who heard a few of us talking and catching the kiwi accent asked if one of us would be willing to interview.
I happily did; talking about why I was in Gallipoli and about my travels. I even introduced Kleo at the encouragement of friends. Only a short while later a Turkish journalist came over and expressed that he saw me do the interview and wondered if I might do another. And so I spoke again as to why I was in Turkey and what ANZAC day meant to me. During the interview I noticed a third journalist was standing nearby and when I finished the interview he spoke in Turkish with the man I had just spoken with.
Apparently, the new journalist hoped I would do an interview for his channel; however he could not speak English so had asked if the former would conduct the interview for him. So a third interview began.
And what do you know a few minutes after this one finished a fourth journalist, Turkish again, came over saying she had seen me do a few already and wondered if I might be willing to do another. I could not say no so off again.
Now, family and friends at home told me quite quickly that they saw me (and Kleo), but to this day I still do not know if I made it on to Turkish television. Will I ever find out, I do not know, but it would be nice to know.
I was also hoping that I might get an Australian channel to interview me and complete the trifecta of countries. But I suppose it was too much to hope for being that I am a kiwi and there were certainly a few Australians about to interview.
As the early hours of the morning marched on the films eventually concluded and made way to sounds of military bands. We saw video of the Dawn Service’s already conducted in New Zealand and Australia that morning.
The Dawn Service at Gallipoli began. Readings by defense force members. The Roll of Honour read with portraits of a few who died displayed on screen. The arrival of the Official party. A Karanga and the Playing of a Didgeridoo. Commemorative addresses. The mounting of the Catafalque party. Paryer, hymns, and the Ode of Remebrance. The Last Post rang out across the cove as the hush fell to silence
As the sun rose upon our backs, and the open seas became clearer before us, the reflection of being in a place of such loss and pain, a feeling different from anything that can be expereinced at home.
Shortly the silence ends as the Reveille plays out awakening all for the future.
The Reveille is followed by the National Anthems, the final blessings, the Catafalque party dismounting, and the departure of the official party. And the Dawn service at Gallipoli is concluded. While I may not recall the details of that morning, the feeling will not be lost and will be something to recall every ANZAC day forward.
Following the dawn service we went down to take some photos on the waters edge and around the stage. Those of us attending the New Zealand service at Chunuk Bair also had a bit more time before we had to start walking up the hill. We took a few minutes to chat with Kiwi journalist Daniel Faitaua before we got a reminder by some volunteers that we should get a move on to the service.
Another volunteer kindly took our bags in a van and we took a bit of a detour walking through the bush along trails; some following paths taken during the fighting itself. We arrived to the New Zealand Service at Chunuk Bair just in time.
My memories of this service are even more hazy. What I do recall however is the intimacy of the service. Unlike previous years there were only a few people and we were sat closely with the official party. I recall also a couple of thspeakers making comments directly to our group about the value of young people attending these services.
After the service we went up to the memorial and had the opportunity to speak with members of the defense force present and the official party which was quite a treat.
Eventually we joined the crowds waiting for buses in a nearby clearing. A gathering which seemed to be quite a celebration with live music from members of the defense force. One individual became the crowd favourite playing on guitar and a fantastic way to farewell us all.
Collecting our bags from the van was a bit of a challenge with a little confusion with security, however we got them back and all was well. A short while later we were back on board the bus and Istanbul bound.
A quiet trip filled with rest and reflection. A few hours later we were back in Istanbul parting ways to our hostels with plans to catch up for dinner and drinks later that night and over the next few days.
These two days were such an incredible expereince and gave me an entirely new perspective of the Gallipoli campaign. These will be memories that I hold forever and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to attend, especially in circumstances that made it more intimate and connecting.
“We Will Remember Them”
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