A Visit to ANZAC Cove

As the soft light of dawn begins to drift across the sky, I turn and look up at the silhouette of the steep cliffs at my back. As they’re slowly lit, I feel tears begin to well.

It’s ANZAC Day 2002, my husband and I have recently embarked on our year long round-the-world trip. My Kiwi husband is deeply patriotic and visiting Gallipoli, in Turkey, on ANZAC day was on his travel bucket list. I’ve never been that passionate about Australian War history so I was surprised by the emotions that stirred as I looked at the cliffs from the beach where the ANZAC Day landing took place.

I was taught the basic facts about ANZAC Day as a child. On the 25th April 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the beach at Gallipoli, at dawn. The intent was to make a bold attack on the Ottoman Turkish troops but what eventuated was a massive loss of life. The ANZAC’s expected to land in open terrain and instead found themselves on a beach at the base of steep cliffs covered only in scrubby bushes. As I stood on the beach during the dawn service, my school history lessons took on a whole new meaning.

A steep walk up a dirt path leads you from the beach to Lone Pine, the Australian Memorial site and cemetery. The battle for Lone Pine took place over four days in August 1915, and although the Australian Troops eventually won the battle, they lost more than 2000 men. The battle for Lone Pine was in fact a diversionary attack, the true objective being to secure the crucial high point of the peninsular in the battle for Chunuk Bair.

New Zealand troops led the battle for Chunuk Bair, suffering a huge loss of life, and although they secured the high point for two days, Turkish troops were able to lodge a forceful counter-attack to reclaim the ground. Chunuk Bair is now the official New Zealand Memorial site and cemetery. There are 632 graves in the cemetery with only 10 of them identified. The memorial commemorates 856 New Zealanders who have no known graves. The walk between the two memorial sites offers the chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by those young men.

It’s been twelve years since I stood on that beach, we’re now the parents of three young children and we would love to take our daughters to Gallipoli. Imagine how much more meaningful history classes will be for them if they’ve already stood on the beach where the battle began.

2015 will mark the 100 year anniversary of the landing at ANZAC Cove, access to the dawn service is being managed by ballot. My husband and I have both registered and hope that one of us will be successful so that we can take our eldest daughter across.

You don’t need to wait for ANZAC Day to visit Gallipoli, it’s an inspiring place to be at any time. You can arrange to do a tour from Istanbul as a day trip. However, if you have the time base yourself in Canakkale and visit from there. A lot of Aussie travellers add in a two or three day stop during their time in Turkey.

The tours are a wonderful way to get insights not only the Australian/New Zealand campaign but also the Turkish. Our Turkish tour guide expressed enormous respect for the ANZAC troops, his stories about Turkish troops were a reminder to us all that everyone suffers greatly in war.

If Gallipoli is not on your family travel bucket list yet, put it on there because it really is a remarkable experience for young and old.

Lest We Forget