Gallıpolı

And so it continues. I must apologize profusely at this stage as there is a delay of two weeks between when we actually do stuff and when I actually get the chance to write it. We are just that busy honest!

So if I cast my mind back 2 weeks (even four hours back is hard) I seem to recall leaving Istanbul. We were reunited with Mel{q}s family and friends and piled into a mini van and headed south. First stop before we left Istanbul though was the Water Cisterns of Istanbul. We had a morning to kill before our Minibus arrived so we popped down to the Hippodrome to visit the subterranean world of the Cisterns, the old water storage system beneath Istanbul. As we descended huge cavern opened up in front of us with massive pillars holding up Istanbul above. It was very very eerie with classical music and colored lights providing the atmosphere. Really that{q}s all it was but it was quite cool. Walking along platforms above the water looking at the huge marble columns supporting the city. The marble was recycled from destroyed buildings and at one end the heads of two statues form the base of a couple of pillars. It was peaceful compared to the streets above and we felt relaxed. Probably a good thing as we were about to spend hours in a van heading south down the coast.

I will skip the initial van ride as it was a blur. We stopped for the night in Canakkale on the Asian side of Turkey. That{q}s the bit on the Asia Minor subcontinent. Turkey is separated by the sea of Marmara that runs from the Aegean sea to the black sea. If you look at a map in the upper right hand corner you will see. It is too hard to explain for me right now as my brain seems to have lost most of its function due to not being used. Anyway where was I, oh That{q}s right we crossed to Canakkale via car ferry. The next day we were picked up by another minivan and a tour guide for the day to take us around the battle fields of Gallipoli. This peninsula has been made a national park of remembrance. There are memorial monuments here in surroundings of natural beauty.

For those of you readers in the northern hemisphere, Gallipoli and a small portion of the peninsular holds a very special place in New Zealander{q}s and Australian hearts. It was here our two nations were brought together and the Anzac spirit was born. A little history lesson, there will be no test at the end as I am sure to get half of the facts wrong. During World War I the English thought it would be a good idea to sail their battle ships up the Dardanelle{q}s, a narrowing of the straight, to take Istanbul, a strategic point for launching their forces north to Russia. Well the Turks weren{q}t going to make things easy, any who would blame them really. So they laid mines and generally made life difficult for he english to get their boats up. After severe losses to the fleet the decision was made to land troops to take the peninsular thus allowing the ships up the straights.

Those troops were made up of mainly Australian and New Zealand Troops. For some reason the troops could not land on the peninsular where there were supposed to, instead they landed on one of the worst places they could have with huge cliffs. The aim was to get to the high ground as fast as possible and secure a good position. Take out the Turkish guns then send ın the mine sweepers Unfortunately it took longer than first thought to get to the top. The turkish soldiers were alerted and the Turks beat the Anzacs to the high ground. What followed was months of bloody warfare, all over less than 2 kilometers of land. Only once did a New Zealand contingent reach the high ground, a point called Chanuk Bair where the New Zealand memorial now stands. For the rest of the time the troops on both sides were trenched in and fighting with the enemy trenches no more than 20 meters away and as close as 5. We walked through the trenches and were shocked at how close the New Zealand trenches were to the turkish front line. So close that the Anzac troops could talk to the turkish and vice versa. And so they did. Over the months the names were learned and each side learnt phrases of the others language. The would greet each other {q}good morning{q} across the lines. The turks called this war the war of gentlemen and that was so true. One day a satchel came flying into an Anzac trench. Attached to the satchel was a crude note in simple english. {q}We give you tobacco. We have no paper.{q} Promptly the Anzac troops rounded up as much paper as they could, bundled it up in the same satchel and hurled it back towards the turkish trench. For the next few hours not a gunshot was heard and the only smoke rising was from pipes and cigarettes. Each side would swap supplies literally by throwing then over to the enemy trenches. In the first few months half a million lives were lost on this peninsular and I think that is the reason that a stale mate was reached. Both sides were just fed up with the killing. We were told of a story about a wounded english soldier lying near the turkish trench after a failed run. The soldier was crying out in pain for help. A white flag was raised in the Turkish trench and a huge tree of a Turk climbed the trench and walked towards the soldier. With his massive arms he picked up the soldier and carried him to the English trench and lay him down. Then without a word turned and walked away, back to his trench. And if you visit the Turkish memorial on the Gallipoli peninsular you will see a statue of this very scene. Both sides were gentlemen and had nothing but respect for the so called enemy.

In the end the English and Anzac troops retreated, marking this one of the most gruesome defeats in the first world war. In the cover of darkness the Anzacs rigged their guns with a mechanism that dripped water into tins. When the weight of the can became too much it would pull a string connected to the trigger and the guns would fire, creating the illusion that they were still there. Meanwhile they thousands of soldiers crept down the cliffs to the shore. This was so successful that not a single life was lost. Well that{q}s the official story. Once you have seen the trenches you will realize there is no way they could have moved all the thousands of troops down the cliffs without the Turks knowing. That story is insulting to the Turkish. What really happened is they just left. The Turks being honorable men and gentlemen fired no shots. It is against their honor to fire at an enemy{q}s back and there was an understanding between them. So they let them go and so closed the chapter of the Anzacs and Gallipoli. 500,000 lives lost over less than 2 kilometers of land. Crazy. War is crazy.

Not 20 years after the battles of Gallipoli a man dubbed Ataturk meaning {q}Father Turk{q} became Presıdent of Turkey and created a memorial on Anzac Cove, the bay where the Anzacs camped safe from enemy guns. On this memorial he stated that this land is now home to the soles of thousands of Anzac soldiers. Turkey is now thier home too. This man, this Ataturk, was the commanding officer in charge of the Turkish forces claiming the high ground on the penninsular before the Anzacs could reach it. He had his troops there 20 minutes before the the Anzacs and thus decided the fate of the battles of Gallipli. He became a national hero and ın the followıng years saved Turkey from further invasions aswell. He was an amasing man but more of him in another email. There is just too much to write about him. His forgiveness is unsurpassed. Today in Turkey everyone knows who you are if you are from Austalia or New Zealand. They may not know where New Zealand is but as soon as you say {q}Anzac{q}, a smile and a handshake tells you they know exactly what has passed before. We are and forever wıll be welcome in Turkey. Lest we forget.

V.