Thousands mark Gallipoli landing

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.

Every year, thousands of tourists mainly from Australia and New Zealand travel to the battlefields on the Gallipoli Peninsula to mark ANZAC Day – the anniversary of the start of the battle that cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

This year, both governments warned their citizens not to go to Turkey for fear of terrorist attacks following suicide bombings in Istanbul in November, which killed 62 people.

“People came irrespective of the warning. The people wanted to come,” said Lt Chantal Llaora, an Australian military spokeswoman. She said between 10,000 and 12,000 people were present.

For the first time, Australian troops were barred from taking leave to attend the ceremonies due to security concerns.

“As dawn breaks, we cannot help but think of how those first ANZACs would have felt for many this would be a final act of sacrifice and service,” Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill said as he addressed the crowds at the sunrise service.

He was referring to Australian and New Zealand volunteers who were known as ANZACs.

Gallipoli’s Anzac Cove, where the dawn landings on the peninsula took place, is sacred to many Australians and New Zealanders who see it as a crucible of nationhood that was forged by the volunteer soldiers who fought in the battles there.

Australian decorated Vietnam War veteran Dennis Rayner, 52, said he was “blown away by the turnout”.

“It’s magnificent,” Rayner from Bauff Point, Australia, said as he stood waiting for the ceremony to begin on a windy and cold morning.

“It’s a pinnacle for any veteran of any war to be here and to walk where they (ANZACS) walked,” he said.

Despite the government warnings, Hill told the participants, “We must not be cowered by extremists.”

“Those who are here today and those across the world who stand together in these ceremonies are sending a powerful message that the spirit of ANZAC is alive and well and will not be defeated,” Hill said.

Sage Fly, 65, from Victoria, Australia, wearing medals belonging to her father who served in the Second World War, stood reflecting and cried.

A girl played the bugle as the flags of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey were lowered to close the ceremony after dawn had broken.

Most Australian and New Zealand visitors, who decided to attend months before the warnings were issued, said they were satisfied with the security arrangements.

“There are a lot of army and police here. More than we thought there would be,” said 24-year-old Claire Stevens from Melbourne, Australia.

“We had to come despite the security” warning, said Michelle Wythers, 34, from Christchurch, New Zealand.

On Friday, Turkey’s Ambassador to Australia, Tansu Okandan, criticised Australia’s warning saying it could encourage terrorism.

ANZACs formed the backbone of a 200,000-man British-led army that landed at Gallipoli in an attempt to capture Istanbul, 180 miles away.

The Turks held strong for more than eight months, driving the Allies off their land in a bloody campaign in which some one million men fought and some 300,000 died.

Gallipoli “was the first time our nation presented itself to the world,” said Donald Phillips, 56, who travelled for the first time to the Anzac Day ceremonies from Adelaide, Australia.