Gallipoli 1998, 2005 plus ‘ANZAC’ Show and Tell!!

In his despatch¬† to the Secretary of the Admiralty dated July 1st 1915 , VADM John de Robeck R N said of the Anzac troops, ‘The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in this their 1st battle, set a standard as high as that of any army in History, and one of which their country men have every reason to be proud’.
Denise and Mac Gregory fulfilled a long held ambition to attend an Anzac Day Service at Gallipoli on Anzac Day, in 1998 .Mac will recount to us the trials and tribulations,(smelly toilets etc, very early start, climbing the hills of Anzac in the dark in order to obtain a vantage point, stumbling into gorse bushes and prickles, and stumbling into old concealed shell holes etc.)

Denise and Mac attended the ‘Dawn Service’, Service at the Turkish Memorial at Cape Helles, and¬† Lone Pine, plus they visited many cemeteries. We will share their experiences on April 22nd.

Jenny and Rex Williams went to the Dardenelles October 10th-12th 2005.Very conscious of his British and Australian Heritage, Rex was most anxious to gain an overall perspective of the campaign covering both the ‘Cape Helles’ area as well as ‘Anzac’. We will share photos of ‘V’ Beach where the collier River Clyde was beached, and where 6 V C’s were won, a beach where the sea was coloured red, plus shots¬† of ‘W’ beach where 6 VC’s were also won. He took a photo of a field called ‘Eski Hiscarlik’ where on 1st-2nd May 1915, thousands of Turks and allied soldiers were killed during a failed Turkish counter attack. As it is at Anzac Cove, this is hallowed ground for both sides .Plus you will enjoy many photos taken at Anzac which some of you may be familiar. The third facet of our ‘Anzac’ meeting will be a ‘Show and Tell’ of ‘your’ Anzac ‘ memorabilia. Grand dad’s tin helmet, his stories, badges found at a first aid post, bullets found near ‘Lone Pine’; all your artifacts are welcome to be shared!