ANZAC Day in Turkey

Spending ANZAC Day in Turkey is something I will always remember for many reasons, to see where our Soldier come shore and what they had to do to get off that beach, it a wonder any of them got out of there alive.

On ANZAC morning after the dawn service, most of us where moaning about the cold it was -1, Sadet (our Turkish Gide), said “it God way”, he is showing you what, your Soldier’s when through, they come here in summer cloths, look you are rug up, think about how it would have been for them, the moaning stop there and then we all knew he was right.

The day before our ANZAC Day is the Turkish Remembrance Day, it was up to us if we when to this service and I’m happy to say most did, the Turkish people lost hundreds of thousands of men, (will post picture) we were all made so welcome at this service and many Turkish Vet’s were at our ANZAC Day service next day.

What the Turkish people let us do in their country, is so good, and yes many will say we bring money into their country and we do, but it more than that, there is nothing that say they must let us visit our War died, there is nothing that say’s they have to let us have our War grave there or that they have to let us keep them the way we want too, but they let us do all of this.

We had young and old Turkish people come up to us and ask if we where Australians, on hear that we where, they shook our hand and we were told “Welcome to our country”.

S.M. Mac Arthur ©

All the picture blow, have come from, ANZAC Cove or Lone Pine

From the beach looking to the first ridge

The Beach Cemetery

Simpson grave, so many men come home alive Thanks to John Simpson Kirkpatrick and his donkey.

Lone Pine Cemetery

2^nd ridge looking down to the beach