INTERESTING PLACES WE VISITED

The central purpose of the 'Lest We Forget' History Tours has been to commemorate those Australians who died while fighting in the First World War or as POWs of the Japanese. Of course, visiting the villages, battlefields, cemeteries & memorials which have a direct link to Australia has been the primary goal. However, there are also many other important & interesting sites to visit in these areas - dedicated to the men from other countries who were fighting alongside Australians or who fought against Australians.

This is the highest point the Allies managed to reach during the Gallipoli campaign, being captured and held by New Zealand soldiers on August 8, 1915. Today, the New Zealand National Memorial stands here adjacent to the magnificent statue of Ataturk - both memorials dominate the skyline. The two national memorials give an indication of the importance of this position and the extreme loss of life that occurred here during those terrible days in early August.

The hill has reconstructed trenches all across the crest and there are magnificent views down along Rhododenron Ridge (from where the NZers attacked) and out over the foothills of the Sari Bair Range up to Suvla Bay.

As well, you can visit Chunik Bair Cemetery, where 622 unidentifed soldiers lie, as well as read the New Zealand Memorial Wall situated above the cemtery. Just below the crest of Chunik Bair is The Farm Cemetery, another legacy of the extreme nature of the fighting.

Gallipoli - Cape Helles

A visit to the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula is well worth the effort. Here, the British & French forces endured the same hardships as their Anzac counterparts - protracted trench warfare punctuated by costly attacks against the strong Turkish defences.

There are numerous CWGC cemeteries in the area, however the dominant feature is the massive Turkish Memorial which stands on the south eastern tip overlooking the entrance to the Dardenelles. The 'Debt of Honour' students were very much taken by this memorial - its height and its imposing nature is a clear testament to the determination of the Turks to resist the invaders.

Down the road from the Turkish Memorial is the French Military Cemetery and memorial, which overlooks Morto Bay. It is an interesting place to visit, with its unique iron headstones and large white memorial.

Over on the south western side of the peninsula stands the British Helles Memorial, which records the names of British army & navy personnel who went missing during the campaign. Australian soldiers missing from the 2nd Battle of Krithia are also commemorated here.

On the 1st July 1916, 20,000 men from the British Empire were killed, with another 38,000 men wounded, while fighting in the Battle of the Somme. This loss became the greatest tragedy in the history of the British military. The battle for Thiepval only lasted from 1st July to 26th September 1916, with great numbers of men being lost.

The British government decided in 1932 to build a great memorial to commemorate those British and South African men who died while fighting in the Somme region from July 1915 to March 1918 and who have no known grave. The Thiepval Memorial stands 45m high with sixteen pillars on which the 72,085 names of the missing are engraved.

In September, 2004, a new interpretive centre was opened next to the memorial.

On the 1st July 1916, the only Allied unit to reach their objectives were the 36th Ulster Division. Having been caught in crossfire and losing 5,500 men in a few hours, this division was withdrawn the next day.

The Ulster Tower is a memorial to both the Irish who fought in the Battle of the Somme and to all the Ulstermen who died in the First World War. In the grounds a plaque was laid by the Royal Irish Rangers to commemorate the soldiers of the 36th Ulster Division and the 9 winners of the Victoria Cross.

The tower is an exact replica of a tower near the training ground of the 36th Ulster Division in Belfast.

This peaceful memorial park now stands in an area that witnessed on of the most horrific battles of the Battle of the Somme. On the morning of the 1st July 1916, the men from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment were annihilated with all officers killed or wounded and only 68 men remaining uninjured, out of a regiment of around 700 soldiers.

Because of this enormous loss, Newfoundland made the decision to place their National War memorial at this site in the memory of this tragedy.

An very interesting museum & interpretive centre can also be found at the park and Canadian university students are on hand to provide information and guided tours. It is a very worthwhile place to visit.