ANZAC Cove

ANZAC Cove is a large sweeping bay, and is divided into 3 smaller bays. From the North heading South they are named North Beach, ANZAC Cove and Hells Beach.

North Beach, the photo below, the beach where the first of the Allied troops landed on the morning of 25 April. It's pretty exposed and not a beach as we would know it



My Grandfather stood on the beach and wondered what was at the top of the hill. The hill side rises fairly sharply from the sea. So I stood on the beach and wondered on his behalf what was at the top of the hill too? There is alot more vegetation on the hill side now than there was then,although its sparse nowdays. I could just picture the troops clambering up the hill side, with 35 lb packs, maybe wet from their landing.



ANZAC Cove beach where the commemorative service is held each year. Along the wall are paques retelling the landing story.





Lone Pine the Australian Cementry. Also buried at Lone Pine are a number of NZ soldiers incluing 400 from Canterbury. This was my Grandfathers regiment and here lie his colleagues incluing PVT Leaman his very good friend.


Lone Pine is situated on the top of one of the many ridges on the hill side to Chunick Bar. The forces who landed in the first way managed to fight their way up a ridge close to Lone Pine, called Pluggers Plateau, which they held for most of the campaign. Lone Pine is approx 100m wide. On one side of this flat ground were the Australians bunkered down and on the opposing side of the flat ground were the Turks. I think that here at Lone Pine there was also a seige involving the Allies mounted troops and we could see the tunnels where the horses jumped over.

This war was described and the gentleman's war. While each side was determined to win, they did call truces from time to time to allow each side to bury the dead. It may be that fact alone that makes te Gallipoli Penninsular a very peacful place to visit. Contributed to that may be the fact that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission care for the graves and the surrounding land. Signposts out side the cemmentaries of which there are 31, ak the public to show respect and not to picnic. Or maybe its the fact that 300,000 Turks vist the penninsular too. Or is it the huge plaque with a quote from Mustafa Ataturk telling the mothers of sons who died here, that Turkey respects and acknowledges the men as their sons too and greives and cares for them.