Gallipoli

Before i arrived at Gallipoli i must admit that i knew very little of the actual history and had a very wrong image in my mind of what Gallipoli was all about. What I saw this weekend changed me. I saw a sadder truth of Gallipoli and my memories of this weekend will remain for a long time.



I am sure many are less ignorant than I but I want to tell the tale of Gallipoli so i can better say how my thoughts of what ANZAC day is all about has changed. Gallipoli is a small island of Turkey. The ANZAC troops landed on 25th April 1915 and started the campaign to drive the Turkish troops back to Istanbul and then push West across Europe. What actually happened is what the legend of ANZAC is all about. They never got more than a couple of kms from the beach they landed on. For 9 long months the Aussie and NZ troops attacked and lost many men daily only to gain metres. 9 months they were trapped with the Turkish trenches surrounding them and the sea to their backs. 9 months of nothing but death without any gain or hope. 9 months. When I saw the movie i woefully assumed that Gallipoli was about one bad day. There was not a single good day in the whole doomed campaign before they were eventually pulled out the following January. I can see now how after so friends, leaders, mates dying each day, after weeks of not gaining any ground and with nowhere to retreat any man would easily accept death as likelihood. With such a terrible fate these men could only turn to duty as a means of getting through each day. What choice did they have.

An important lesson from this weekend was also seeing and experiencing the Turkish side of the story. Through letters read through the night before our dawn service my respect and admiration for the Turkish army and country has no limits. They too have their war heroes. A large statue on Gallipoli shows a Turkish soldier carrying an Allied soldier. During the fighting the allied soldier was crying out in pain so loudly that the Turk came out of his trench with a white flag. The shooting ceased and he carried the soldier back to the Allied lines before returning to his own trench. These two sides fought hard and well but here seemed little hate between them. Instead there was merely respect that each was doing his duty. The shooting began as soon as the Turk re-entered his trench.



The other thing that really shook me was the graveyards. I’ve been to graves before but nothing like this. All of the gravestones carried the name of the soldier (assumed) buried there and his age. All but a few showed men (boys) in their 20s (mostly 21-22) and some even in their teens. Some stones had a message under the name. There were two that stood out to me: one was of a soldier whose message told of his wife who would mourn his passing – he died age 22. The other stone carried this message:

The son of God loved me and gave his life for me.

Private A Pryce, age 27, died April 29th 1915. This lad was my age when he died and as i said before the troops landed on the 25th... he fought for 5 days before he died. Many only lasted one. What struck me most was his declaration of faith. He wasn’t the only man who died fighting for God and country. In a society that wants to get rid of Christian influences from Australiana I pray they will look to our ANZACs who gave so much not just for our freedom but also for their love of God. I pray we don’t lose what so many have died for.



My emotions are very mixed on the whole business. Pride, sadness and disbelief at the waste of life are but a few. Long into the night my thoughts tried to process the whole business but I couldn’t grasp any more than the facts and stuff I have said above. I will never forget my time here at Gallipoli and will remember the ANZAC troops who sacrificed themselves for all of us.

Thankyou to all of those who helped make this experience possible. It has been a dramatic last week or so but I made it and it was well worth the time, effort and money that you guys have given. I’d like to say it’s the best birthday present I got this year. The fact thats its the only one i got doesn't mean it's not bloody awesome :o)

Here is a list of those who served so faithfully and gave so much in order to send Bobby to Gallipoli:

Lyndal & Dave
Mum and Dad and Penny
Claire and Rob and Gabe
Jo and Max & Paul Mutz (US cousins)
Josh College
Jono, Ev, Isaiah & Adelaide
Tom & Soph
Bob, Kris, Dec & Sarah
Dale and Irene
Matty Griggs
Chris Ives
Ed and Tarika
Laura Ives
Benny, Claire & Joshie
Alice O'Toole
Jono, Em & Gracie
Nick & Kiri
Joel & Meg
Hannah, Jarrod & Elijah
Cat Van Engen
Jess & Michelle Van Engen
Kara Van der Broek
Alex Warwick
Pastor Neville Overton
Matt Gane
Heather gane
Granny Bet
Uncle Noodle
Aunty Baba

and Rob & Pam Whittington, my UK parents :o)

Lest I forget

Football - more than a game

Last week went with a mate from church and saw Aston Villa play Everton. Tim Cahill (Go Aussie) scored 2 goals and Aston Villa equalised in the dying minutes to finish an exciting game 2-2. But the real story wasn't on the field. I had a groundside seat on one of the corner posts. Thousands of Villa fans to my right, thousands of Everton fans to my left and about 30 cops in-between. Every time something happened on the field there was yelling, jeering, abuse and some very not nice behaviour at all. One guy wanted to get closer to further state his case for why his team was superior but trying to charge through the cops was a bad idea. Didn't see him again.


When a team scored a goal I was right between both sides. It was bloody intense and like being caught between two packs of wild animals. I may go watch another game but from the safety of the stands maybe.


In other news: I have partaken in a genuine piece of English culture. I have started my own veggie garden :o)





Also I am hoping to go to Turkey tomorrow for ANZAC day but flights are still iffy with the volcano ash. Please pray for the flights, those regulating the ban, and all the people stranded because of this nonfatal but still unfortunate tragedy.

Warwick Castle

Quick update this week. Went to Warwick Castle on Wednesday. Biggest dissapointment was that Lex was a no-show but It was still an awesome visit. Meeting Henry VIII, Sword reenactment, seeing an eagle owl, walk across the tower and Trebuchet were only a few of the highlights. I am a huge Robin Hood fan so my favorite part of the day was speaking to the generous thief. We talked about his longbow and arrows and how they were made.



Am now seriously considering a 2-day course for $160 quid to make my own english yew longbow :o)

Easter Sunday

Cancer boy has made it to 27! Hey I had it so I can joke about it :o)

This year my birthday fell on Easter Sunday which made an unusual birthday even more extraordinary. My Sunday started with my workmates bringing me a cake with a candle after work at 12.30am so bedtime was a little later than normal... at 5am my alarm went off and i rugged up and dragged the bike out of the inn. The half hour bike ride did a lot to wake me up and as I pulled into Wheatmoor Farm I was prepared for the 'Son Rise' celebration service. Very cold but very memorable.



That night Jonty King - the youth leader from NZ gave a great sermon about Doubting Thomas. He has been great at helping me fit in at the Sutton Coldfield Baptist Church since he had to go through it when he first came.

Best part of the day was calling the family shack and finding everyone happy safe and enjoying enjoying an Eater egg hunt. First birthday i received no presents however mum has chipped in and asked others to help pay for a trip to Turkey for me to commemorate Anzac day. I am so grateful: for the gift from so many but more for the mother who loves me so much and the God who has given all.



And congratulations to big Stewart Gane aka Dad on his win at the Sheffield Golf tournament last Saturday. Especially his 3rd shot on the par 5-5th hole. It looked like a good shot before he walked up to the green to find the ball not there... until someone told him to look in the hole under the flag :o)