GALLIPOLI GRAVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22132, 11 June 1935, Page 11

GALLIPOLI GRAVES

WELL-KEPT CEMETERIES PENINSULA REVISITED The excellent manner m which the graves of those who fell at Gallipoli are being kept was referred to by Captain A. A. Currey, of Auckland, who returned by the Monowa:i yesterday after revisiting the peninsula. On leaving Auckland three months ago. Captain Currey said, he and Mrs. Currey travelled to Suez, and then overland to Cairo and Alexandria. Connecting with a Turkish mail steamer at Alexandria, they journeyed to Athens and then made their way to Smyrna and on to the Dardanelles. A landing was made at Anzac Core.

With the exception of an old barge and some concrete work, said Captain Currey, the beach had almost reverted to the state it was in before the landing 20 years ago. On the peninsula itself most of the traces of war had been removed, and the gorse was once again growing shoulder high. Here and there were trenches, and in one place was to be seen a heap of rusty bully beef tins. However, all guns and shell cases had been removed. The visitor had no difficulty in picking out old landmarks.

'"The cemeteries we saw were all excellently kept," he continued. "Some were better than others, but that was on account of a shortage of water that was common on certain parts of . the peninsula. In some cases the cemeteries were huge places." One day was spent in the Anzac area, the second at Cape Helles, and the third at the ruins of Troy. The visitors then made their way to Constantinople, where they took the Berlin-Bagdad express and travelled through French Syria to Palestine, eventually arriving at Port- Said, From this point the visitors sailed for Sydney.