WELL REMEMBERED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10903, 28 April 1927, Page 2

WELL REMEMBERED

THOSE WHO DIED.

GALLIPOLI CEMETERIES. To see the graves of Gallipoli is to have a lesson in what can be done to deprive Death of its terrors and to crowd with everlasting honour the memory of those who from far Dominions came to the aid of the Empire.—Sir Herbert Nield, K.C., M.P.

Not all the relatives of those dominion men who fell in the Great War can visit the lands where they lie buried. To them, therefore, the words of Sir Herbert Nield should bear some comfort. He has seen, he is certain, that all has been done that possibly could be done to beautify and permanently mark those sacred ourial grounds of New Zealand soldiers.

Sir Herbert Nield started his tour of the Gallipoli cemeteries from Kelia Bay, where the G.H.Q. of the War Graves Commission is situated, and he was shown round by Captain RuleJones, who is in charge of the work there. From Kelia Bay he went to Lone Pine, which, with a smaller one adjoining, is the first of a series of cemeteries on top of the mountain range. "This cemetery," writes Sir Herbert, "was a perfect resting-place for our brave Dominion troops. It was beautifully situated, and. both in plan and execution, was more than anyone could have hoped to see. At the end was a white stone building—a domedand yet pylon in shape, with a plain white chamber constituting a chapel, whitewashed and so pure looking as to create deep reverential feeling quite, apart from its surroundings. The turf bore a withered look, but no doubt after rain would be all one could wish. (Small raised blocks of stone appear at intervals in the turf, each bearing the name and particulars of a deceased' soldier. The special difficulty of these Gallipoli cemeteries is that it is for the most part impossible to indicate the actual grave of a particular man. What is certain is that a man of the name specified is buried somewhere in the cemetery. This, no doubt, was due to the difficulties of the ground over which the fighting took place, and the manner in which the interments had to be carried out. Chunuk Bair. "Leaving this cemetery, and passing many another smaller one, we at length reached the summit of a still higher and distant mountain, and came to the large cemetery called Chunuk Bair. From here the central stone obelisk can be seen for many miles, and the view presented is one of great if not unequalled beauty. To the east, a range of scrub-covered mountains with views of the distant seas through the gaps in the range: on the other sides, west and south, and. in part to the north, are long stretches of the perfectly blue waters of the Mediterranean. To the right lay the extensive plain of Anzac, bounded by a mountain range; and on the edge ot the sea a salt lake showing perfectly white and oval in shape. The scene was such as to make it impossible for i me to describe it, and we were loathe j to leave it. i "On our way were many other ceme- ( teries, each beautifully perfect though , different in form, until we came to , Shrapnel Gully, a particularly hot val- , ley for the Anzacs in the early days , of the landing. This is indeed a work , deserving great praise: it is difficult to , discriminate, but the planting and gen- ( eral construction of this eemetery is , deserving of special notice." I

"Brighton" Beach. From Shrapnel Gullly, Sir Herbert and his companions descended to the coast on the Anzac side, and proceeded to inspect the cemeteries along what was known as Brighton Beach, towards Anzac Bav. The coast line they found most restful and beautiful,, being part of the view which had captivated them from the They saw toe rusted remains of the sunken lighters at the famous landing, and then after proceeding for some miles along the beach road, and inspecting the cemeteries, the return journey was made by the coast, and so back to Kelia. Bay. Suvla Landing. To commemorate the men of the various naval and military units who made the famous landing at Suvla Bay, there stands an obelisk,, which is passed on tlift wiav to the peaceful and well-kept enUeiy called P "V Beach : " Everywhere in this area the design of the cemeteries -lends itself to the country" as Sir Herbert Nield describes it They are like oases in an and, waterless land, and the planting of trees and shrubs most suitable to the soil has added much to the beauty and dignity of these enclosures, the very simplicity of which impels the admiration of the visitor. In their own way, the cemeteries of Gallipoli hold thenown with those of France. And so we know that those who sailed from these shores' in the great cause of 1914, and did not return, are not forgotten. They axe remembered where they died as in their homeland, and their last resting-places are groves of beauty. "0 Death where is thy sting? Where, Grave, thy victoryP