OT: Anzac Day - Brothers In War Remembered

[Guest guest]

Hi y'all,

 

Again, we have celebrated Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac)

Day in Turkey .. and we remembered the words spoken by Ataturk on the

battlefield of Gallipoli and later written on a monument there:

 

" Those heros that shed their blood and lost their lives .. You are now

lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace.

There is no difference between the 'Johnnies' and the 'Mehmets,' where

they lie side by side here in this country of ours .. You, the mothers,

who sent your sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your

sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost

their lives on this land they have become our sons as well. "

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

 

Exerpts from the Turkish Daily News .. by Ehrah Guler:

 

" Eighty-seven years ago, Australians fought against the Turks, alongside

the British Empire's Army and Navy in the land of the Turks, Anatolia.

It marked the turning point for a young country, Australia, only 14

years after coming into existence, and also for a new nation, Turkey.

 

The young Australian soldiers were sent to a war which was impossible to

win. The Turks were defending their land against the major invading

powers of the time, and their spirit was so high that even an allied

army of many nations could not break through their defense.

 

This sad event was not only a bitter story for the two participating

nations, but also an indication of the emergence of two nations, Turkey

and Australia. Australia was a new sovereign state and this was the

first battle they had fought. At the same time, the Ottoman Empire was

soon to collapse and a new Turkish state was about to emerge.

 

Since then, the land upon which the battle raged has become a pilgrimage

site for Australians and Turks, young and old. The Turkish government

has renamed the cove where the Anzacs first landed during the Battle of

Gallipoli .. it is now 'Anzac Cove' in honor of the Australian and New

Zealand Army Corps. "

 

MY NOTE: The narrow point in this waterway has always been a strategic

target for military operations. Called 'Hellespont' by the Greeks, the

Persian King Xerxes once built a bridge of boats to launch his invasion

of Greece .. before that, the Trojan War was fought at this point.

 

" Over 33,000 allied troops and 86,000 Turkish troops died in the 8-month

Gallipoli campaign .. which achieved none of its objectives. A British

Royal Commission later concluded that the operation had been ill

conceived. Gallipoli cost 8,700 Australians their lives and some 19,000

were wounded. Though the campaign was a failure, the story of Anzac has

had an enduring effect on the way Australians see themselves.

 

The following, by one of the battle's veterans for the 1993 Anzac Day

Ceremony, summarizes the significance of this day of commemoration:

 

'I have been fortunate to travel to Turkey on six occasions to visit

Gallipoli on Anzac Day. There is no more touching dawn service than the

one conducted on the Beach at Anzac Cove. One of the great pleasures of

the trip is mixing with the Turkish people. The Turks are very

conservative and formal; they dress almost invariably in suits and

with their dark hair and shaggy mustaches appearing very solemn. But

when you explain you are Australian, their faces light up with wonderful

smiles, and you are overwhelmed with hospitality. Surprisingly, this

warm relationship evolves from our involvement as antagonists in one of

the most remarkable military campaigns ever conducted, the attempt by

the allies to capture the Dardanelles in 1915. "

 

Mutual Respect on the Battlefield:

 

Although both the British and French suffered greater losses than the

Australians and New Zealanders during the campaign, it has a special

significance for the Australians because it was their first involvement

in war as a separate nation, and it played a part in establishing their

global identity as distinctly Australian.

 

For the untested Australian troops who landed on April 25, the gallant

enemy were the " Unspeakable Turks " , a second-class enemy who would be

quickly defeated. (MY NOTE: This was the opinion of the British High

Command) This illusion did not survive the landing. (MY NOTE: Initial

defense against the landing was from a Turkish company of approximately

200 mostly local, untrained peasants, led by professional officers.) It

was unfortunate for the allies that the Turkish commander who opposed

them on the day they landed was one of the most dynamic military leaders

of the century, Colonel Mustafa Kemal, later to be immortalized as Kemal

Ataturk, the " Father of Turks. "

 

Kemal inspired in his soldiers the burning fervor of patriotism. (MY

NOTE: These were Ottoman soldiers and prior to this time, the idea of

patriotism was unknown throughout the Empire.) For the first time,

Mehmets who were mostly simple peasants from Anatolia, were conscious of

their Turkish identity. (MY NOTE: Ataturk told them .. " I do not tell

you to fight for your country, but to die for your country. " )

 

During the battle's early stages, the ferocity of fighting turned into a

hatred for Turks, instigated by rumors of disfigurement of Australian

dead. (MY NOTE: Also a psychological ploy of the British High Command

and one that has meaning for those who have been soldiers in combat.)

 

The massive Turkish counterattacks that began on May 19, and pressed on

despite heavy Turkish casualities, bred a reluctant respect for these

Turkish soldiers that had been so hated. Casualities on both sides

were so high that on May 24, a truce was negotiated so both sides could

recover and bury their dead, and allow their wounded to recover. Turks

and Diggers mingled on the battlefield while completing these sad tasks.

But something else happened ... gifts were being exchanged and a mutual

recognition of each other's humanity was born. From that point on there

existed a mutual respect between the foes, although fighting continued

as fiercely as ever and casualty figures continued to rise.

 

The Australians would throw tins of jam across the narrow no-man's-land

in exchange for Turkish tobacco. Snipers in a deadly competitive duel

would signal misses, as if on a firing range. In the final withdrawal

of troops, many units left notes and gifts for the victorious Turks.

 

Mutual respect continued between the Turkish forces and the Australian

military mission, which returned to Anzac in 1919 to record and rebury

their dead. The Australians and Turks were not to meet again on the

battlefield until Korea, in 1952, when they were both serving under the

United Nations mandate. Elaborate plans to celebrate Anzac Day together

were disrupted by a major Chinese offensive in which the Third

Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was awarded the U.S. Presidential

Citation for their defense of the village of Kapyong on the night of

April 25, 42 years ago now.

 

Aftermath:

 

Eventual defeat in WWI resulted in the fall of the old Ottoman Empire,

and Turkey withdrew to its natural boundaries. By the end of 1922,

Turkey was united under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal, as president,

who began the reforms and creation of a secular, democratic republic.

 

A stone wall carved with the immortal words of Ataturk (1st paragraph),

at Anzac Cove is the meeting site for thousands of Australians and Turks

who have formally created links that will forever bind the two countries

in the spirit of Anzac.

 

The terrible loss of young Australian and Turkish soldiers was also an

unofficial announcement of the birth of two nations, Australians from a

British Colony and Turks from a collapsing Ottoman Empire. Eighty-seven

years later, the two nations continue to commemorate a generation of

lost youth through an important event in their national identities. "

 

-------------------

 

Having lived in Turkey on and off for almost 23 years, and since 1988

this trip, I can say that I have personally witnessed the strong Turkish

respect afforded to members of the Anzac and to Aussies and Kiwis in

general. I've come to believe that in addition to the events of 1915,

this special affection Turks show the Aussies and Kiwis might also be

due to the laid back manner of most of them I've met. Though Turks can

be pompous themselves, they generally dislike that in others .. ;-p

 

I also had the privilege of serving with Australian troops in the early

years of Vietnam .. 1963-64. At that time, Australia had a group in

Vietnam called the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). These

fellers were professional soldiers and totally nuts! ;-)

 

So .. that's my history pitch for a while .. and again, a salute to the

memory or those who served in the Anzac.

 

Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

 

American By Birth, Southern By the Grace of God, Patriot by Choice.

[Guest guest]

That was *very* interesting Butch. Thank you!

 

Janine

www.HerbaTherapy.com

join the newsletter for specials!

HerbaTherapynews-

 

 

[Guest guest]

Butch

 

Again I am late but thank you for this memorial to those who fell at this

battle. As an Australian it is great to get the news from the other side as

well.

 

Missy (Aussie born and bred)

-

Butch Owen

 

Monday, April 29, 2002 11:40 PM

OT: Anzac Day - Brothers In War Remembered

 

 

Hi y'all,

 

Again, we have celebrated Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac)

Day in Turkey .. and we remembered the words spoken by Ataturk on the

battlefield of Gallipoli and later written on a monument there:

 

" Those heros that shed their blood and lost their lives .. You are now

lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace.

There is no difference between the 'Johnnies' and the 'Mehmets,' where

they lie side by side here in this country of ours .. You, the mothers,

who sent your sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your

sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost

their lives on this land they have become our sons as well. "

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

 

Exerpts from the Turkish Daily News .. by Ehrah Guler:

 

" Eighty-seven years ago, Australians fought against the Turks, alongside

the British Empire's Army and Navy in the land of the Turks, Anatolia.

It marked the turning point for a young country, Australia, only 14

years after coming into existence, and also for a new nation, Turkey.

 

The young Australian soldiers were sent to a war which was impossible to

win. The Turks were defending their land against the major invading

powers of the time, and their spirit was so high that even an allied

army of many nations could not break through their defense.

 

This sad event was not only a bitter story for the two participating

nations, but also an indication of the emergence of two nations, Turkey

and Australia. Australia was a new sovereign state and this was the

first battle they had fought. At the same time, the Ottoman Empire was

soon to collapse and a new Turkish state was about to emerge.

 

Since then, the land upon which the battle raged has become a pilgrimage

site for Australians and Turks, young and old. The Turkish government

has renamed the cove where the Anzacs first landed during the Battle of

Gallipoli .. it is now 'Anzac Cove' in honor of the Australian and New

Zealand Army Corps. "

 

MY NOTE: The narrow point in this waterway has always been a strategic

target for military operations. Called 'Hellespont' by the Greeks, the

Persian King Xerxes once built a bridge of boats to launch his invasion

of Greece .. before that, the Trojan War was fought at this point.

 

" Over 33,000 allied troops and 86,000 Turkish troops died in the 8-month

Gallipoli campaign .. which achieved none of its objectives. A British

Royal Commission later concluded that the operation had been ill

conceived. Gallipoli cost 8,700 Australians their lives and some 19,000

were wounded. Though the campaign was a failure, the story of Anzac has

had an enduring effect on the way Australians see themselves.

 

The following, by one of the battle's veterans for the 1993 Anzac Day

Ceremony, summarizes the significance of this day of commemoration:

 

'I have been fortunate to travel to Turkey on six occasions to visit

Gallipoli on Anzac Day. There is no more touching dawn service than the

one conducted on the Beach at Anzac Cove. One of the great pleasures of

the trip is mixing with the Turkish people. The Turks are very

conservative and formal; they dress almost invariably in suits and

with their dark hair and shaggy mustaches appearing very solemn. But

when you explain you are Australian, their faces light up with wonderful

smiles, and you are overwhelmed with hospitality. Surprisingly, this

warm relationship evolves from our involvement as antagonists in one of

the most remarkable military campaigns ever conducted, the attempt by

the allies to capture the Dardanelles in 1915. "

 

Mutual Respect on the Battlefield:

 

Although both the British and French suffered greater losses than the

Australians and New Zealanders during the campaign, it has a special

significance for the Australians because it was their first involvement

in war as a separate nation, and it played a part in establishing their

global identity as distinctly Australian.

 

For the untested Australian troops who landed on April 25, the gallant

enemy were the " Unspeakable Turks " , a second-class enemy who would be

quickly defeated. (MY NOTE: This was the opinion of the British High

Command) This illusion did not survive the landing. (MY NOTE: Initial

defense against the landing was from a Turkish company of approximately

200 mostly local, untrained peasants, led by professional officers.) It

was unfortunate for the allies that the Turkish commander who opposed

them on the day they landed was one of the most dynamic military leaders

of the century, Colonel Mustafa Kemal, later to be immortalized as Kemal

Ataturk, the " Father of Turks. "

 

Kemal inspired in his soldiers the burning fervor of patriotism. (MY

NOTE: These were Ottoman soldiers and prior to this time, the idea of

patriotism was unknown throughout the Empire.) For the first time,

Mehmets who were mostly simple peasants from Anatolia, were conscious of

their Turkish identity. (MY NOTE: Ataturk told them .. " I do not tell

you to fight for your country, but to die for your country. " )

 

During the battle's early stages, the ferocity of fighting turned into a

hatred for Turks, instigated by rumors of disfigurement of Australian

dead. (MY NOTE: Also a psychological ploy of the British High Command

and one that has meaning for those who have been soldiers in combat.)

 

The massive Turkish counterattacks that began on May 19, and pressed on

despite heavy Turkish casualities, bred a reluctant respect for these

Turkish soldiers that had been so hated. Casualities on both sides

were so high that on May 24, a truce was negotiated so both sides could

recover and bury their dead, and allow their wounded to recover. Turks

and Diggers mingled on the battlefield while completing these sad tasks.

But something else happened ... gifts were being exchanged and a mutual

recognition of each other's humanity was born. From that point on there

existed a mutual respect between the foes, although fighting continued

as fiercely as ever and casualty figures continued to rise.

 

The Australians would throw tins of jam across the narrow no-man's-land

in exchange for Turkish tobacco. Snipers in a deadly competitive duel

would signal misses, as if on a firing range. In the final withdrawal

of troops, many units left notes and gifts for the victorious Turks.

 

Mutual respect continued between the Turkish forces and the Australian

military mission, which returned to Anzac in 1919 to record and rebury

their dead. The Australians and Turks were not to meet again on the

battlefield until Korea, in 1952, when they were both serving under the

United Nations mandate. Elaborate plans to celebrate Anzac Day together

were disrupted by a major Chinese offensive in which the Third

Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was awarded the U.S. Presidential

Citation for their defense of the village of Kapyong on the night of

April 25, 42 years ago now.

 

Aftermath:

 

Eventual defeat in WWI resulted in the fall of the old Ottoman Empire,

and Turkey withdrew to its natural boundaries. By the end of 1922,

Turkey was united under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal, as president,

who began the reforms and creation of a secular, democratic republic.

 

A stone wall carved with the immortal words of Ataturk (1st paragraph),

at Anzac Cove is the meeting site for thousands of Australians and Turks

who have formally created links that will forever bind the two countries

in the spirit of Anzac.

 

The terrible loss of young Australian and Turkish soldiers was also an

unofficial announcement of the birth of two nations, Australians from a

British Colony and Turks from a collapsing Ottoman Empire. Eighty-seven

years later, the two nations continue to commemorate a generation of

lost youth through an important event in their national identities. "

 

-------------------

 

Having lived in Turkey on and off for almost 23 years, and since 1988

this trip, I can say that I have personally witnessed the strong Turkish

respect afforded to members of the Anzac and to Aussies and Kiwis in

general. I've come to believe that in addition to the events of 1915,

this special affection Turks show the Aussies and Kiwis might also be

due to the laid back manner of most of them I've met. Though Turks can

be pompous themselves, they generally dislike that in others .. ;-p

 

I also had the privilege of serving with Australian troops in the early

years of Vietnam .. 1963-64. At that time, Australia had a group in

Vietnam called the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). These

fellers were professional soldiers and totally nuts! ;-)

 

So .. that's my history pitch for a while .. and again, a salute to the

memory or those who served in the Anzac.

 

Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

 

American By Birth, Southern By the Grace of God, Patriot by Choice.