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
Wow. I don't really know what else to say. Thankyou for sharing your powerful experience. It makes me want to go there, but, if the experience is like I now imagine it to be, I would be balling my eyes out for days. Thankyou for opening our eyes through your honest and real writing of your experience.
ReplyDeleteBobby, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've known the history of Gallipoli inside out for more than a half a century, but you have made it live. I agree with Claire - I know I would bawl - I do just watching the ANZAC Dawn Service each year. May we be challenged to join with that young soldier and reaffirm to all those around us that 'the Son of God loved me and gave His life for me".
Val Warwick
At church today, Phil Knowles came up and told me that your blog [ which I had emailed to him] was a real blessing. And at school, Mr Pike came into my class to say to thank you very much too { I emailed it to him too]Love Mum
ReplyDelete