Peace Looks Like This

Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
One hundred years ago the British launched an attack on Turkey in an attempt to secure the Dardanelles for British shipping. Part of the British force consisted of a combined corps of Australians and New Zealanders (the ANZACs) The landed on April 25 1915 and finally left on December 20, having failed in their objectives. The death toll, while not as heavy as the Western Front, was still appalling on both sides. Australia lost 8,700 with 19,441 wounded, NZ lost 2,721 and had 4,752 wounded. 56,643 Turks died and 107,007 were wounded, compared to total allied losses of 56,707 and 123,598. These figures do not include those who died of illness.

A century later thousands of Aussies and Kiwis have just returned home from attending ANZAC Day services on the beach at Gallipoli. Much has been written about this event but this account is my favourite.

PEACE LOOKS LIKE THIS

When the actual Lone Pine service finishes in the early afternoon of Anzac Day, the problem for so many Australian attendees, who haven't slept for the previous 36 hours is that it takes as long as – and I'm not making this up – EIGHT HOURS for the jam of buses to clear. Finally, though, most of the last lot get to the wharves where a ferry awaits to take them across the straits of the Dardanelles to Cannakale.

They're all, not to put too fine a point on it, buggered, and slump in their seats. At least most of them do. Not, however, the Barker Choir and Band, some 200 strong. Even as the ferry waits for the last stragglers to arrive, the young'uns assemble on the foredeck and start to sing and play.

Oh, how they sing and play.

The ethereal harmonies of Waltzing Matilda, Run To You, Nearer My God To Thee, the Australian and New Zealand National anthems rise rich and beautiful into the Turkish twilight, as even the passengers on other ferries come out to watch on their verandas. They clap, they join in, some dance 'neath the diamond sky, with one handwaving free, silhouetted by the sea.

And now, the final touch. As the last stragglers arrive and the Turkish guides who have been so good to them all start to wave goodbye and walk to the bus that is to take them back to Istanbul, the Barker choir instantly switches into a fabulous rendition of the Turkish national anthem.

The guides stop, the wharf workers and security guards stare open-mouthed, the police and soldiers snap to attention. At the end, the Turks, the Australians and New Zealanders all together – 100 years on to the day since the beginning of the devastating battle that killed over 100,000 of our citizens – cheer and clap wildly.

Peace between our fine nations. It looks like this.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/to-thine-own-self-be-true--lest-we-forget-20150502-1mxlf9.html
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Sometimes it is children who show us the way.
 

We were there in late April and toured the battle sites. They were getting ready for the ceremonies, setting up the bleachers and putting out the flags/flowers.

There is a large monument there at Anzac Cove with the following quote by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk in 1934:

"Those heroes that 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 Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."

I'd post a picture I took, but once again, my computer (or this program) won't let me post pictures.
 
Josiah said:
I know well the tragic stories of Gallipoli. I hadn't appreciated how deeply they were imprinted in the collective memory of Australians.
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Unless you understand the impact of the Gallipoli story you don't really understand Australians.
All around the country this year, and at overseas sites as well, there were record attendances at various Dawn Services.
Every year, in some form, all school children hear the message of ANZAC Day.
It has assumed mythical proportions and it is important to return to the historical realities.
That is what the ANZACs would have wanted. They didn't think of themselves as heroes.

Just before April 25 this year hubby and I visited the Australian War Museum in Canberra and I'm pleased to say that the history is well respected there.
 
Louis said:
Scotsman turned Aussie, and one of my favorite folksingers, Eric Bogle wrote this version of "Waltzing Matilda" in 1971. It has been in my anti-war music collection since then. Many Yanks, perhaps, have not heard of him. Here it is on video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8YLUZgzEnE
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Love Eric Bogle's work.

Hubby and I visited Gallipoli in 2000 where we laid a small wreath at Lone Pine.
Our guide announced to others on the coach what our intentions were and we ended up with a group of Aussies, Brits and South Africans all assembled while hubby recited The Ode and I placed the flowers on the memorial.

As we drove away, our Turkish guide played Eric Bogle's tape and it was a fitting finale to a very moving experience.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
Love Eric Bogle's work.

Hubby and I visited Gallipoli in 2000 where we laid a small wreath at Lone Pine.
Our guide announced to others on the coach what our intentions were and we ended up with a group of Aussies, Brits and South Africans all assembled while hubby recited The Ode and I placed the flowers on the memorial.

As we drove away, our Turkish guide played Eric Bogle's tape and it was a fitting finale to a very moving experience.
Click to expand...

Wow! Just reading this post sends chills up my spine.
 

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