Sunday 19 September

Istanbul Airport - Eceabat - Dardenelles - Canakkale

Well, we had finally made it. Turkey. The final preparations for the tour had been put into disarray when we were told that we may not get permission to travel to Turkey due to the Federal Gov's travel warning. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and the permission was (finally) given. The trade off, though, was that we would not stay in Istanbul. A pity, but it gave us more time at Gallipoli, which proved to be the best thing that could have happened.

The flight to Istanbul from Bangkok, via Frankfurt, was long & tiresome. We arrived mid afternoon, met our guide, Alp and headed straight for Canakkale.

First impressions of Turkey were mixed. High excitement at seeing another country and another culture mixed with some awkward and uncomfortable early experiences for the girls. We stopped at a large servo / take away and the girls had their first experience of being stared at constantly by Turkish males. Nothing even remotely dangerous, but it took them some time to get used to this type of overt attention. And ... the toilets were a problem once again!

Then on to Eceabat and the first of many ferry rides across the famous Dardenelles. We arrived in the bustling city of Canakkale on the Asian side of the straits and settled into our great hotel, the Hotel Helen, which is a 2 minute walk from the ferry and the busy shopping district.

The group meeting this night was charged with excitement as the students prepared themselves for what they felt would be the hightlight of the tour - Anzac Cove. The next morning would see them at this sacred and most famous of Australian battlefields.

 

Monday 20 September

Canakkale - Anzac Cove

Today was the group's introduction to Gallipoli. In order to get the most out of the initial experience, the whole morning was set aside for Anzac Cove alone ...... and it still wasn't enough time.

It was an excited bunch that boarded the ferry for the 20 minute ride across the Narrows to Eceabat. Nervous anticipation is probably the best description.

A short bus ride west across the narrowest part of the peninsula (where the Anzacs should have come) and then a quick stop at the Gaba Tepe museum. From here the students were shown the Anzac area from the Turk's perspective and saw the contrast between the area that was supposed to have been attacked and the hills to the north where the Anzacs struggled so valiantly.

Then it was on to the Cove. At Ari Burnu the group first stopped and reflected at Ataturk's poignant memorial to the Allied fallen. Great words which certainly provided the students with a different perspective of the campaign.

Then it was through the beautiful Ari Burnu Cemetery down to the beach. There the cove stretches around to the south to Hell Spit. The word to the students was that they had as much time as they wanted - and so off they went into their own thoughts (read the interesting journal entries).

After a couple of hours of wandering and reflecting, the group had smoko in the shade at Ari Burnu Cemetery and then walked around the point to North Beach and the Anzac Commemorative Site, where the Anzac Day Dawn Services are held.

This area is dominated by the Sphinx and it was with this dramatic backdrop that one of the best group photos was taken:

After this very special morning, it was time to go back to Canakkale for lunch and a well earned afternoon break.

 

 

 

Tuesday 21 September

Canakkale - Anzac battlefields & cemeteries

Anzac Cove had been a remarkable experience. Today, though, it was time to learn about the whole campaign and to see where the real suffering had taken place - the ridges, valleys and the wild country of the Anzac battlefields.

The first stop was at Gaba Tepe Museum - this time for a look inside. It is worth a visit as there are interesting artefacts taken from the battlefields and a good, balanced overview of the campaign. We shared the museum this morning with a group of Turkish soldiers, who found our group very interesting - lots of photos taken.

Then it was on to Anzac and Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, one of the larger cemeteries in the area. It was here that we found the first relative of one of the students. Elsa was very moved to find Major Alton Nash - she would be back the next day for the commemoration.

Behind the cemetery, a track leads up and along the first ridge to Plugge's Plateau. This is was an important area for the Anzacs during the campaign and it provides some excellent views both seaward and inland (see photo links). The small cemetery there is also of interest and it is a good feeling to visit men who so rarely have people stand before their graves.

From Plugge's it was back to the bus and on up to the second ridge and the many famous areas there. First, of course, was Lone Pine. The cemetery and memorial area is a very special place and the students spent some time walking among the graves, reading the epitaphs and ages and contemplating what it was all about.

After a while, we slowly walked along the road to Johnstone's Jolly Cemetery and then, further along, left the ridge to walk down the recently completed stairs to 4th Battalion Parade Ground Cemetery, which is nestled into the side of Braund's Hill, above Monash Valley. Again, an isolated cemetery with so many young Aussies buried there. There are also some good perspectives of Monash Valley and the heights from the top of Braund's Hill.

The next stop was one that many students were particularly waiting for - The Nek. Like Anzac Cove, there is something very special about this tragic plot of land with 300 burials. The students all commented on the size - so small an area for so much carnage and suffering. Some were moved to tears by simply being there.

After a wander down to Walker's Ridge Cemetery, with it's spectacular views, it was time to return to Canakkale. It had been a day of discovery - of putting a lot of the classroom stories into some perspective. The students all agreed that you just can't describe the terrain - you must experience it to gain the proper appreciation.

Gallipoli would offer even more the next day.

Wednesday 22 September

Canakkale - Anzac battlefields & cemeteries

Another big day on the peninsula was planned, although this day was special as it was our commemoration day. We had planned a group commemorative service at the Lone Pine Memorial and we had four men to pay tribute to at their graves. And ... there were still more areas to visit.

The first stop was Lone Pine. The group gathered around the Stone of Remembrance and special tribute was paid to all men who died during the campaign (see photo links). Our little tape recorder (with portable speakers) once again played out the Last Post and the National Anthem. To stand as a group at this most special of places with 'Advance Australia Fair' ringing clearly out over the cemetery was an experience the students will never forget.

We then moved along the second ridge to Quinn's Post Cemetery, which has spectacular views down Monash Valley and across to Russell's Top and The Nek. Here Letika and Lucy conducted services and the group then spent some time exploring the cemetery and the surrounding area. It was important to get a clear understanding of this place, as it was the most vulnerable spot during the campaign, with the trenches only metres apart in some places.

One area of great interest to the students was further up the ridge at Chunik Bair. It was here that the New Zealanders fought so bravely and the sweeping views north up to Suvla Bay give a clear idea of how difficult the country is.

There are reconstructed trenches all over the Chunik Bair Ridge, as well as two impressive memorials - the New Zealand Memorial and the large statue of Ataturk, which tends to dominate the ridge.

There was then a return visit to The Nek (it seems to have some strange "pull" - see Claire's quote) followed by a rough bush walk along Russell's Top and out along the spur leading to the Sphinx.

The teachers then led the students on an interesting walk from Lone Pine Cemetery down Artillery Road to the beach. On the way they stopped at Shell Green Cemetery and set up a reconstructed pose of the famous cricket match photo (below). Not quite the same as the original, but the historical significance of this bit of fun was not lost on the students.

Elsa and Alison then conducted two very emotional services at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery and Beach Cemetery respectively.

It was then time for the final activity of the day - one we had all been waiting for. We drove across to the Anzac Commemorative Site at North Beach and, under the gaze of The Spinx, had one of the most refreshing and historically significant swims we had ever experienced.

It was a great way to end a fantastic day.

 

Thursday 23 September

Canakkale - Kilitbahir, Cape Helles + dawn & dusk at Anzac Cove

Another day of discovery but also one of deep reflection. This was our last day on the peninsula and the final moments there proved to be some of the most memorable of the whole tour.

A 4 am start got us over to Anzac Cove at around 5 am ready to experience this special place at the most poignant of times - dawn.

The group sat and huddled around, talked, reflected and listened to the Last Post echo across the beach. We then tucked into a brekky of fresh fruit and watched the sun slowly rise over the steep hills. Watching the sunrise over The Sphinx was especially memorable.

For three of the teachers, this experience took them back to Anzac Day, 2002, when they shared this scene with the previous student group + 15 000 other pilgrims. All agreed that being there alone was even more special.

Teenagers being as they are, the early start was not easy for them, so it was then back to Canakkale for a hot breakfast and some free time until the afternoon.

Once recovered from the pre dawn rise and having done even more shopping, it was back on to the ferry and across to visit the Kilitbahir Forts and then to travel down to Cape Helles (see photo galleries).

Helles has many interesting sites, none moreso than the imposing Turkish Memorial, which towers over the south eastern toe of the peninsula. The group undertook a solemn memorial here in recognition of the Turkish losses during the campaingn.

After this, we moved on to the French cemetery at Morto Bay, followed by the British Helles Memorial (which also records the names of Australians killed in the 2nd Battle of Krithia).This was followed by an emotional stop at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, where Lauren undertook a lovely commemoration.

The swansong to our unbelievable time at Gallipoli was now on us. We travelled back up to Beach Cemetery and settled down on the lush green grass in the company of so many Australian graves - and watched the sun slowly set over the Aegean Sea. The sense of time & place + the great sense of group bonding made this a very special time indeed.

The sun set, the students boarded the bus and there were quiet, reflective goodbyes as we drove slowly back to Canakkale.

Through all of this, the main thought going through the students' minds was ...... "we'll be back".

 

Friday 24 September

Canakkale - Troy - Istanbul Airport

It had been a draining 4 days and it was time for the emotions to have a break.

This was our last day in Turkey and the morning was spent at the famous ancient site of Troy, which is located about 40 minutes south of Canakkle. The group was treated to a very interesting tour by our great guide, Alp and then it was time for some fun photos in and around the replica trojan horse.

Back to Canakkale for lunch and a free afternoon - although we had to pack in readiness for an overnight bus trip back to Istanbul Airport for an early morning flight. This was not the ideal way to go about things, but our inability to stay in Istanbul meant things had to be done a little differently.

At 11 pm that night, after a fun final dinner at the Hotel Helen (great staff) we caught the ferry back across the Narrows for the last time and settled in to a rather uncomfortable trip to the airport.

It had been a fantastic 6 days - in the students' words .... an awakening. They had learnt so much and had all fallen in love with Gallipoli.

It was time, though, to follow the story of the first AIF to the killing fields of the Western Front.