Gallipoli

Today we joined a tour to visit Gallipoli. We began with a quick ferry across the Dardanelles Strait from Canakkale.  On the other side we met up with the other half of our tour group that had traveled from Istanbul for the day.

First stop was Brighton beach. This is where the ANZACs were supposed to land their boats. Due to strong winds and currents they where pushed north and landed in the much smaller bay with steeper terrain to the north (now known as ANZAC cove).  The tour guide Murat was excellent and bought the events of ANZAC day 1915 to life.  

Brighton beach 

Poppys at the beach

Anzac Cove

Anzac Cove ( a newish looking road and retaining wall works have changed the original look a bit)

North beach where the dawn service was held

Lone pine and Australian memorial

The ANZAC and Turk trenches were only 8m apart at some points.

Original trenches (barbed wire and posts have been reconstructed)

Turkish soldier holding an english made gun.

Soldier silhouette

Turkish memorial

NZ memorial plaque at Chunuk Bair

Plaque

NZ memorial at Chunuk Bair, Ataturk statue in background