Gallipoli photos

On the way back down the sea of Marmara from Istanbul we had brisk following winds Force 5-7 every day (one spinnaker broach, one crash gybe from the waves).



A calm respite on the Island of Marmara.


The vast scale of some of the modern shipping off Gallipoli.


We took a very informative and moving tour of the ANZAC war-graves and landings.


In March 1915, Churchill’s idea was, with 18 warships amassed, the peninsular protecting the entrance to the Dardanelles could simply be taken from the sea. He didn't reckon on the ferocity and determination of the Turks: 6 huge warships were sunk in one day, one going down in 3 minutes, with great loss of life.



The ensuing land assault took a staggering 6 weeks to start - plenty of time for the German commander of the 5th battalion to reinforce his Turkish forces. The months of fire fighting was tremendous and horrific.

The much disputed landing place for the (as yet, untried) ANZAC forces on the west of the peninsular...

This terrain must have been awful to behold on a perfect dawn. 3 graves of Indian allies in foreground.

We heard a diary extract from today's date from a surviving Kiwi, and also of his first day landing experience. Awful chaos.

The words of Mustafa Kemal - Ataturk - at the terrible loss of allied life were both wise and very moving. PLEASE READ (if you can).

Lone pine - more than 8000 Australian's lost their lives over the disastrous 9 month campaign, plus many thousands of Kiwis and French; plus hundreds of Canadians, Indians and Nepalese dying for 'king and country'. Even a few Americans, who found themselves in the ANZAC forces. The main losses were overwhelmingly English and Turkish.

Once there though, the order from Kitchener was to 'dig in'. The trenches near the summit of Chunuk Bair were only 7 metres apart.

Famously, a Turk, having waved his undershorts as a white flag, delivered the seriously wounded British captain back to his line.

The Turks actually lost more men, helped by the constant shelling from the sea.

Ataturk ordered them '"...not to fight, but to die!"

Wave after wave of Turkish troops succeeded in retaking the high ground, which despite British reinforcements from that beautiful bay, was never lost again.

The view the allies sought to control - east to the Dardanelles (Chanakkale and Deep Blue at harbour in the distance).

The vast, stark Turkish war memorial on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsular, near the French memorial, the hollowed out shape serves as a fitting reminder of the emptiness of the campaign and loss of life for no gain.

Russia's 'ice free' sea route, in via the Black Sea, is still of vital strategic importance.

Out of the Dardanelles but still in very strong winds, we spent two very pleasant nights on one of the two Turkish Islands in the Aegean - this is Bozcaada.

The view east, to the entrance of the Dardanelles.

Some fine beaches on the west coast, but MAN! that water is COLD!! (from the constant north east winds of the last week).