1 post tagged “anzac day”

So today is a special day as it is Anzac Day in Australia.  Define ANZAC Day: Anzac day is a day that is commemorated by Australians and New Zealand’s each and every 25^th of April.  It is a day to remember our soldiers of the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC).  

Our soldiers landed in Gallipoli, Turkey during World War 1 in 1915 on this very day.  (What were we doing over there to begin with?)  The war broke out in 1914 and Australia’s new national government was eager shall we say to establish a “reputation” among the nations of the world, so they involved our country in a war that was NOT necessarily our buisness.  So young men enlisted and off they went to war.  There were casualties on both sides but the bloody battle took over 8,ooo of our boys.

For some bizarre and unexplainable reason I have always been attracted and drawn to Gallipoli.  It could be the fact that I love soldiers; it could be the fact that I love my country.  I still don’t know the real reason as to why I love the ANZACs but each and every year I am drawn to this day and find it very riveting.  Each and every ANZAC Day I grab my travel journals sit down and read about my adventure in Turkey.  Today was no different.

So this is how it was.  Back in April 2000 whilst backpacking through Europe I decided to go and spend 2 weeks in Turkey.  I hear you all gasping.  Why doesn’t Reney come from a Greek background?  Don’t Greeks and Turks have a mutual dislike for one another?  Well my answer to that would be that my great, great, great grandparents may have had an issue with Turkish people but I was not raised to dislike people just because they are Turkish, or Chinese, or green coloured or polka dotted. 

I met so many Turkish people whilst on my adventure and I don’t know why but they would all approach me and question me as to my background.  When I would tell them I was Australian they would laugh and say no you are not.  When I would tell them I was born in Australia to Greek parents then their whole demeanour and attitude towards me would change.  It would change to positive, welcoming and loving people.  A lot of them used to say “you are like us, we just believe in different God’s” and then they would insist that I sit down and have some Turkish coffee with them.  Usually I am a coffee freak but I wanted the apple tea that my friends were having.  “What sort of Greek are you? “ They would exclaim!

Anyways back to Gallipoli.  Part of my adventure was to spend 5 days camping on Anzac Cove and the mountains of Gallipoli.  I would not call myself the “camping” type but the 5 days spent in Gallipoli were the fucking best thing I think I have ever done in my life.  It was bloody awesome! 

Our tour guide over the next 5 days was a lovely young man by the name of Akin.  I drove the guy nuts (I am known as being a serial pest) I remember having a backpack on my back and Akin walking on the road that divided the “Turkish side” vs. the “Anzac side”.  A bitumen road that was not very wide was what divided the two sides.  Akin points and explains that this is an Australian trench and then he turned and pointed to the other side of the road and says this is the Turkish trench.

By this stage Akin and I had become good friends and I gave him my one eyebrow raised quizzical stare and he knew what I wanted to do.  He pulled me to one side and said do it, but be quick, do not let the others see you, if you hear a car drive by then do not even breathe and do not disobey me. 

Yes folks I jumped in the Australian trench first and Akin was baking brownies (crapping his pants) as I grabbed my torch and bolted off very quickly.   I flashed my torch and the trench went for about 3 metres.  A minute or two later Akin tells me to get out quickly as there are a lot of snakes in there.  I refused to get out.  Why?  Because I am a stubborn, head-strong pest and when I set my mind to doing something then there is no turning back.  I then heard some rustling, so I screamed, shat my pants and literally flew out of the trench.  I then walked over to the Turkish trench and looked around me and as I went to jump in Akin squeals, “please, do not do the jump”.  Fuck that shit I thought, so off I jumped.  (Don’t ever tell me what to NOT do as I can guarantee you I will do it anyway)  I did the “oh wows” and then let Akin help pull me up and out of the trench.  I gave Akin one of my “sugar wouldn’t melt in my mouth smile” and said “its only fair that I jump in the Turkish one.”

During my camping expedition I sat on Anzac Cove for 4 hours and just sat there in utter stillness.  All that could be heard was the water splashing.  It had to be the most eeriest yet serene time I have experienced to date.  To think that this entire beach was blood stained and I could picture the ANZACs scrambling ashore under a hail of machine gun fire and bodies all over the shoreline.  I also did the dawn service and felt so proud to be Australian.

It was bloody awesome and I had a wonderful time.   I am extremely patriotic and I even dated a soldier for a while.  Private SU was and has been affected pretty badly by his 2 tours of East Timor and Afghanistan; he is a perfect example of the casualties of war.   But that’s another story to tell you some other time.

I honour the ANZACs, I will always remember the sons of Australia, I will honour the ANZAC spirit and I am very proud to be an Australian.

Lest we forget!

Reney

P.S – I made a little pilgrimage today to my local monument and paid my respects.  I do this every year, so I decided to take some photos.