ANZAC Day, 100 years

Went to the Newcastle ANZAC Day dawn service. Today marks the 100th year since the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign. While I don't make it every year, this is the first time I have gone that it wasn't raining. The weather was perfect. Had to get up about 3 a.m. so as to get there to find a place to view  the event properly.

An advantage of this event is you have an old coastal defense installation, Fort Scratchley way up on the hill. It fired several shots from one of the guns.

Here are some photos I took.

(Turkish AF Colonel Haydan Dink read Ataturk's memorial *)

I will say, that this hymn performed at the ceremony, was pretty amazing. Not too long after, the colour started to show in the sky.



* = Engraved at ANZAC Cove are these words from Kemal Ataturk, the Commander of the Turkish 19th Division during the Gallipoli Campaign and the first President of the Turkish Republic from 1924-1938:

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives. You are now living in the soil of a friendly country therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their 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."



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