Friday, April 25, 2008

Poppy Anzac Day


Today is Anzac day in New Zealand and Australia. These are the poppies the beans wear to show their support.

93 years ago at dawn, on the 25th of April 1915, New Zealand and Australian troops were sent to Gallipoli, a rough and ruggered part of the coast, to attack the Turkish troops and try to capture an important shipping route through the Dardenelles. Many casulties were suffered on all sides and on this day we remember all who went to fight for us.

My mum has been to visit the battlefields and graveyards that dot the coast at Gallipoli, it was hard to read the headstones of boys of 16 and 17 who died so far from home. If you want an idea of what it was like there, there is a movie from the 1980s with Mel Gibson (back when he was cute, and not so much of a drinker), that captures the time pretty well.

In Gallipoli there is a large memorial that faces out onto the beautiful sea below, carved onto it are some wonderful words that say:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
—Mustafa Kemal

12 comments:

  1. Happy Poppy Anzac Day, Poppy Q. Graveyards of soldiers is very sad.

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  2. Fighting is not nice. I do so hope all beans will stay peaceful and not fight each other at all. Poor soldiers.

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  3. Hey Poppy! I'm back! I tagged you for a meme!

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  4. Those words by Mustafa Kemal were very moving.

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  5. That was very nice post you did Poppy! We did not know all that! ~Queen Snickers

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  6. What a beautiful memorial. It is so sad to see such young men lose their lives!

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  7. We also posted a blurb on the cat blogsphere.

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  8. Reading those beautiful words made me and Mummy go all shivery! They are just beautiful!

    Happy Anzac Day Poppy Q.

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  9. That is a very moving post Poppy Q. So good of you to put it on your blog today.

    Luf, Us

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  10. Happy Anzac Day to you, Poppy Q. I'm proud to be your fellow ANZ-CAT!My bean had to study that film in high school. And you know what? She knows a lady whose best man was in the film! Lest we forget.

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  11. Happy Poppy Anzac Day, Poppy. That is a very touching piece you quoted.

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  12. We are very grateful for the sacrifice of your countrymen..they were brave and valiant!

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