Patea & Waverley Press MONDAY, MAY 2, 1938 GALLIPOLI

Patea Mail, 2 May 1938, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press MONDAY, MAY 2, 1938 GALLIPOLI

IT is now almost twenty-four years since the first members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force left these shores for Egypt, and later for Gallipoli. These men, together with their Australian comrades, were destined to make history for the British Nation, and were to be known for ever as -‘Anzacs,” the name being taken from the first letters of the words, Australian, New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day, April 25th is set apart to commemorate the landing of the Australians and New Zealanders at Anzac Cove, and their heroic deeds throughout the campaign. The whole story of the Gallipoli campaign is a scries of episodes of gallantry and heroism that fill the hearts of Britishers the world over with pride. The campaign proved that the bravery, determination and endurance that had won victories in the past for Britain, Averc still to be found, not only amongst her soldiers from the Homeland, but amongst her sons from the uttermost corners of the Empire. The gallantly of these men from overseas is all the more to be commended inasmuch as the Anzaes Averc not professional soldiers, but men, who a feAv months prior to the landinghad been engaged in their ordinary occupations. Among the heroes Avere men from drapers’ shops, from the avoo! shed and the plough. These, Avhen put to the test, Avere found to be not one Avhit inferior to the trained troops , and in their courage, determination and resource, upheld the best traditions of the British race. Whilst the Gallipoli campaign is one that British people can look back upon Avith pride, for the valiant deeds that Avere performed by the British troops while it

lasted, the feelings of pride arc tinged with feelings of sorrow, that so many valuable ‘ lives should have been fruitlessly sacrificed through colossal blunders. It was a blunder of blunders that a naval attack on the peninsula should have been made five weeks before the historic Anzac landing, without a land attack being made in conjunction with it. A neutral officer who was with the Turkish forces has stated that had three British divisions been disembarked on March 15, 1915, when the naval attack was made, they would have marched triumphantly from the heel to the neck of the Gallipoli Peninsula at Bulan 1 . Some British marines, on -this fateful day, actually climbed to the top of A chi Baba hill after buying fruit in the peaceful little village of Krithea. Had this landing been made before the Turks had been warned of the attempt to capture the peninsula, the wliole story of the Gallipoli campaign would have been changed, Constantinople would have fallen, and the war shortened by at least two years. However it was not to be. The Anzacs not only made history for the British Nation on Gallipoli, but after the marvellous evacuation, •when not a man was lost, they Avent on to do still further glorious Avork for their Empire, notably in Palestine and on the Western Front. Those Avho took part in the Palestine) campaign, the last and greatest crusade of all, have Avrittcn their names in letters of gold on the scroll of fame. They not only succeeded in capturing the Holy City from the Turks, but by their successes in the field, they hastened the end of the Avar. Whilst Ave commemorate the gallant deeds of the Anzacs and pay homage to the 19,000 Ncav Zealanders AA'ho laid doAvn their lives in the Great War, and the 41000 Avho Avere Avoundcd and maimed, Ave Avill take to heart the lesson Ave have learned — that Avar is a costly and a losing game to the victor as avcH as to the vanquished, and that peace is a goal for Avhich all should aim, othenvise the sacrifices that Avere made Avill have been made in vain.