They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
We will remember them.
For those that dont know, today is ANZAC day.
ANZAC is an acrynom for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This is an exerpt I found that far better describes the Landings at ANZAC Cove than I could.
Very early on the morning of 25 April 1915, long before sunrise, the ANZACs were getting ready to go into battle.
They had sailed from Egypt, and now lay off the coast of Turkey in the darkness. They quietly climbed down rope ladders and stepped into small row boats. These were then towed as close as possible to the beach before the men rowed the last part to the shore. They had practised this many times. But they were still very nervous. They didn't know if the Turkish soldiers would be awake, or how many there were. All they knew was that once ashore, they had to go inland, as far from the beach as possible, and make room for more men to land behind them. That was the plan.
Suddenly, a bright flare went up into the sky, turning night into day. The ANZACs were still making their way to the shore. Then the machine-guns and rifles opened up.
The ANZACs who jumped out of the boats that day were met with terrible gun fire. Turkish bullets were whizzing through the air like hail, and many men were killed or wounded in those first few hours. Some men didn't even get out of the boats before they were shot. Others, who jumped out as they ran aground, found the water was up to their shoulders. Some men drowned because their packs were so heavy, or because they had never been taught to swim. Once ashore, the ANZACs became confused. They had expected a flat beach but instead they were at the base of some cliffs. They had landed in the wrong place!
They were scared but excited. Clawing their way up the cliffs, they called for their mates to follow. They dodged the bullets and ran from sand dune to sand dune, always heading inland, always into terrible rifle fire. At the end of the first day, 2000 ANZACs lay dead. Against all odds, however, they had held their ground.
The bloody fighting continued, and by the end of the first week more than 6500 ANZACs had been killed or wounded. Fighting was now going on in the gullies and ridges a kilometre inland.
After eight long months of bitter fighting, the British High Command decided that the war at Gallipoli was too costly when they were also fighting other battles in Europe. The ANZACs alone had lost 10,000 men, and so the order came for a withdrawal.
This news upset the ANZACs, as they never thought that they would leave Gallipoli until they had won. Too many of their mates had died to give up now. But the order was final. The ANZACs decided that if they had to leave, then they would do it properly. Somehow they had to sneak off the Gallipoli peninsula, right from under the noses of the Turks.
Over two weeks, 35,000 ANZACS were evacuated from Gallipoli. First off were the wounded, then the mules and heavy guns and equipment, and finally the soldiers. Right up until the last day the ANZACs tried to make everything look normal.
They played cricket and walked around smoking and talking in the open. They rigged rifles ghost guns they called them so that they would fire after the owners had left.
And night after night they wrapped sandbags around their boots and quietly made their way down to the beach for evacuation. No talking, lads, no smoking, they were told by their sergeants.
Many stopped by the graves of brothers, mates, even fathers, and hoped those buried far from home couldnt hear them leaving.
Lest we forget
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
We will remember them.
For those that dont know, today is ANZAC day.
ANZAC is an acrynom for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This is an exerpt I found that far better describes the Landings at ANZAC Cove than I could.
Very early on the morning of 25 April 1915, long before sunrise, the ANZACs were getting ready to go into battle.
They had sailed from Egypt, and now lay off the coast of Turkey in the darkness. They quietly climbed down rope ladders and stepped into small row boats. These were then towed as close as possible to the beach before the men rowed the last part to the shore. They had practised this many times. But they were still very nervous. They didn't know if the Turkish soldiers would be awake, or how many there were. All they knew was that once ashore, they had to go inland, as far from the beach as possible, and make room for more men to land behind them. That was the plan.
Suddenly, a bright flare went up into the sky, turning night into day. The ANZACs were still making their way to the shore. Then the machine-guns and rifles opened up.
The ANZACs who jumped out of the boats that day were met with terrible gun fire. Turkish bullets were whizzing through the air like hail, and many men were killed or wounded in those first few hours. Some men didn't even get out of the boats before they were shot. Others, who jumped out as they ran aground, found the water was up to their shoulders. Some men drowned because their packs were so heavy, or because they had never been taught to swim. Once ashore, the ANZACs became confused. They had expected a flat beach but instead they were at the base of some cliffs. They had landed in the wrong place!
They were scared but excited. Clawing their way up the cliffs, they called for their mates to follow. They dodged the bullets and ran from sand dune to sand dune, always heading inland, always into terrible rifle fire. At the end of the first day, 2000 ANZACs lay dead. Against all odds, however, they had held their ground.
The bloody fighting continued, and by the end of the first week more than 6500 ANZACs had been killed or wounded. Fighting was now going on in the gullies and ridges a kilometre inland.
After eight long months of bitter fighting, the British High Command decided that the war at Gallipoli was too costly when they were also fighting other battles in Europe. The ANZACs alone had lost 10,000 men, and so the order came for a withdrawal.
This news upset the ANZACs, as they never thought that they would leave Gallipoli until they had won. Too many of their mates had died to give up now. But the order was final. The ANZACs decided that if they had to leave, then they would do it properly. Somehow they had to sneak off the Gallipoli peninsula, right from under the noses of the Turks.
Over two weeks, 35,000 ANZACS were evacuated from Gallipoli. First off were the wounded, then the mules and heavy guns and equipment, and finally the soldiers. Right up until the last day the ANZACs tried to make everything look normal.
They played cricket and walked around smoking and talking in the open. They rigged rifles ghost guns they called them so that they would fire after the owners had left.
And night after night they wrapped sandbags around their boots and quietly made their way down to the beach for evacuation. No talking, lads, no smoking, they were told by their sergeants.
Many stopped by the graves of brothers, mates, even fathers, and hoped those buried far from home couldnt hear them leaving.
Lest we forget
