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Posted by Gwen on April 28, 2006, 7:35 am
Cw that is a lovely story of the Turkish grandfather - the Turks and the
Anzaca had great respect for each other. I remember when on a visit to the
USA we were in a shop in down town Los Angles on Anzac Day and talked for a
moment or two to the shopowner who hastely left us and rushed out the back
of his shop - we wondered why the haste- and he returned with a bottle of
wime saying that he realised that we were Australians ( who could note the
accent !! ) and told us he was Turkish and felt such respect for our forces
that he wanted to give us this gift. To say we were totally taken aback is
putting it mildly - but we were very touched by his gesture and spen quite a
bit o f time with him which was interesting. God Bless Gwen
> Thanks for the welcome Gemini. I lurk mostly, but rarely
> post. Poor eyesight restricts my use of the computer.
>
> I did not intend to "correct" anyone, just to try to explain
> why ANZAC Day is special to many Australians.
>
> The following is way OT and rather sombre in tone, so please
> feel free not to read further. I would not normally presume
> to post on such a subject here, but this is part of the
> reason why ANZAC Day is so special to me.
>
> When I was still in uniform all the officers from my Base in
> Sydney were assigned schools in our area, where we would
> attend school ANZAC Services in the days leading up to the
> 25th. I was given the name of a school and told that it was
> normal to prepare a short address about the landing at Anzac
> Cove and it's significance to Australia as a nation at a
> level suited to 8 to 10 year olds. This I did. Only when I
> arrived at the school was I informed that over 80% of the
> school population was of Turkish heritage. The ANZACS at
> Anzac Cove/Gallipoli were part of the British forces
> attempting to invade the land that later became modern
> Turkey. When I went in to the assembly to give my address I
> found that many parents and grand parents were there for the
> service as well. All listened most attentively to my
> address and applauded after. When the service finished one
> boy brought his grandfather over to say hello to me. The
> old man did not speak English but he wanted to shake my
> hand. His brother had been killed at Gallipoli fighting the
> ANZACS over 70 years before. Through his grandson he
> thanked Australia for letting him bring his family to this
> beautiful country.
>
> This year for the first time the families of Turkish
> veterans were officially invited to join the ANZAC Day
> marches with the families of our veterans. There are no
> Australian veterans of Gallipoli still living, but their
> families continue to represent them in marches. For many
> years Turkish veterans have joined local marches
> unofficially. But this year the invitation was made
> official, perhaps in long-overdue recognition of the respect
> and empathy so often displayed between the rank and file
> soldiers on both sides of that terrible conflict and so many
> others.
>
> So often those fighting deplore the loss of life and
> destruction they participate in, but they are powerless to
> stop it.
>
> The Australian ANZAC story
> http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/
> Gallipoli from the Turkish perspective
> http://www.iit.edu/~agunsal/canakkale/canwar.html
>
> I am of the generation that saw young men conscripted to
> serve in Viet Nam. I did not join the military until after
> that war, but I served with many who had seen service there.
> I am grateful every day that my training was only ever
> called upon for relief work for floods, bushfires, famines
> and SAR work.
> --
> CW
>
> "MRH" <mthecarpenterATxcelcoDOTonDOTca> wrote in message
> : I'm very sorry, CW. I had actually never heard of Anzac
> Day before, and I
> : didn't bother looking it up to find out what it was. I
> do know how I spend
> : quiet time on Remembrance Day (also observed here in
> Canada, by the way)
> : reflecting on those who lost their lives for our freedom,
> so now that I know
> : what Anzac Day is I will be careful not to say *Happy*
> Anzac Day again.
> : Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
> :
> : By the way... I don't remember seeing you here before...
> so, welcome to
> : RCTY.
> :
> : *hugs*
> : Gemini
> :
> :
>
>
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