Johnny Turk, he was ready, he primed himself well. 

Stephen Sandford Irish Academic Press, €24.95 

I WAS interested in the letter from Dr Pat Walsh (April 26) on the justification – or lack of it – for the invasion of Gallipoli by the British and French in 1915.

A special dawn service has been held in Dublin to remember the thousands of soldiers killed at Gallipoli in Turkey during the First World War.

The solemn silence of pre-dawn services gave way to booming marching bands and the clink of beer glasses today as Australians and New Zealanders marked their annual tribute to military veterans.

AUSTRALIAN police have sought the extradition of an Irishman alleged to be part of a gang that planned to manufacture about €74m worth of crystal methamphetamine.

Prince Charles read a sombre psalm as some 20,000 people prayed and sang hymns at dawn today in Canakkale, Turkey, to mark the 90th anniversary of the devastating First World War Gallipoli campaign.

As dawn broke today across the Aegean Sea, more than 10,000 Australians, New Zealanders and Turks gathered to sing hymns and pray for those lost in the First World War battle of Gallipoli, making the trip despite security concerns.

Amid tight security, Prime Minister John Howard paid a surprise visit today to Australian troops in Iraq for an emotion-charged dawn service honouring soldiers who fought and died in an ill-fated First World War campaign.