After 94 years the Gallipoli campaign is still something Australians and Turks carry in their hearts. It has become a noble link binding our two countries in a unique friendship, and I hope it will always continue to do so.
The first friendly contacts between Australian and Turkish soldiers took place near the place known as "Anzac Cove" in May 1920, digging graves to bury their dead. The Australian and New Zealand soldiers at Gallipoli had come from the other side of the world, to fight in a futile conflict which had little or nothing to do with them or their country. They were being asked to give their lives in a war which was not really theirs. The Turkish soldiers were the sons of a land which was desperate and close to starvation. They knew that if they lost this battle, the country would be open to invaders and Turkey would probably be partitioned.
Read Full Article »