Feature articles

Anzac Commemorative Site, Gallipoli, Turkey

by Vicki Ludwig

Each year thousands of Australians of all ages travel to Gallipoli to commemorate ANZAC Day in the raw and ruggedly beautiful landscape of the Gallipoli Peninsula. This year was no exception.

There are those who come because they have heard from friends who have attended previous services here that the experience is unbelievably moving. There are those who have served in the ADF themselves, or who have had a relative serve, and believe that this place and what happened here forged our national identity. There are those who have relatives who lost their lives or who fought at Gallipoli and have come to view this sacred yet bloody ground. There are also those who are drawn to attend, yet can not explain to you why they felt so compelled. Irrespective of why they have come, for most, it is a profoundly emotional experience in a place that now exudes peace and tranquillity.

They started to arrive at 3pm the afternoon before at the Anzac Commemorative Site bringing with them their hopes and dreams for the expected experience of a lifetime. There were the school children from the Mackay North High School who had decided that they wanted to spend the night at the site rather than sleep in their hotel. There were the backpackers in their twenties, young families, current serving members and the veterans who had come to remember the high cost that they and their mates had paid in successive theatres of war since Gallipoli. All waited through the long night for the promised dawn.

As dawn approached, the crowd became more solemn and when the Flag Marshals raised the flags of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey, the crowd cheered. The Royal Australian Air Force Air Command Band began to play and the large crowd grew hushed. The band was followed by the eerie sound of three pipers, two from the UK, whose laments floated on the early morning breeze. The third piper was a school student from Scotch College in Perth, Mr Rhett Pember, who had travelled to Gallipoli especially for this moving occasion. The service commenced at 05.30 and, as the sun rose, so did the mood and atmosphere of the crowd at the site. While the crowd was still deeply reverent and respectful there was now a feeling of promise and hope.

At the conclusion of the service, the crowd remained quietly and patiently waiting for their coaches to take them on to the International services or to either Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair. On arriving at Lone Pine at approximately 0900am, the cemetery appeared to be already three-quarters full. As the morning progressed, more people arrived and the crowd cheerfully made room for the newcomers. At about 1100am, the official seating was finally completed after having to be moved up from the Dawn Service site. At this time, veterans were asked to come and occupy some of these seats. As successive individual veterans walked towards his or her seat, thunderous applause greeted each of them and continued until they finally reached their place.

At 11:45, CPL Stephanie Lambert of the Royal Australian Air Force Air Command Band began to sing a moving rendition of I still call Australia home and there was a surge of nationalist pride. This was immediately followed by the arrival of the official party who received a standing ovation from the crowd. The Deputy Prime Minister gave a moving personal address regarding his relative who had died at Gallipoli. However, he was almost upstaged by a special young woman from the Mackay North High School.

Miss Tara Ward was selected to read a poem at the Lone Pine service as she had a relative who was commemorated on this memorial. When the time came, Tara recited rather than read the poem with such empathy and feeling that there were very few dry eyes. When she finished, the entire crowd remained hushed for long seconds and then greeted her efforts with resounding applause. The ode was recited and the Last Post played. During the following minute of silence, the only sound that was heard was the flapping of the flags against the flagpoles.

Thus ended another Anzac Day at Gallipoli.

	Director of War Graves, AVM Gary Beck, officiating at Anzac Day Service, Lone Pine War Cemetery, 2002