Pilgrimage to Gallipoli

Kierryn, Nikki & Steve did the 11 hour round trip to Gallipoli to pay their respects.  It was a very moving day, and VERY cold, as it was actually snowing, and deteriorated into a blizzard - a reminder that many Turk and Anzac soldiers actually froze to death in the trenches.

In Eceabat they have a "mud map" of the Gallipoli campaign.

In Eceabat this installation shows how close the Anzac and Turk trenches were.

Visiting Anzac Cove - remembering the fallen on both sides

Trenches on the top of the ridge (this is the entrance to a tunnel that led down to the beach front so that ammunition could be carried up to the front line fighting)

An Anzac trench on the top of the ridge (which has filled in a lot since 1915).  The trenches were usually 2m deep, 1m wide, and at some points, the Anzac and Turk trenches were only 8m apart.

Lone Pine War Cemetery

Names on the wall of those who were killed but never recovered, or buried at sea (the names are on both sides of this wall).

We found Kierryn's great great uncle on the wall of rememberence.

Beach War Cemetery

In the grand military tradition of the larrikin digger, Kierryn decided that the first time he really saw snow, he needed to challenge himself by taking off his shirt (with the wind, it was -9c)

Super cold - in the blizzard, in the grand military tradition

Turkey really is a stark mix of old and new sometimes - this is on the freeway out to Gallipoli