Turkish Ambassador Mr.Murat Ersavci "A coming of age and of solidarity" April 25, 2008

" Perhaps this epic heroism is the reason the Gallipoli campaign is one of those rare historical conflicts that brought reconciliation and a spirit of togetherness and peace in its aftermath.


IN LESS than another decade we will be marking the centenary of the conflict at Gallipoli. One hundred years is a significant time. The last survivors of those who fought on both sides have now gone to their rest. Yet each year during March and April, in Turkey and in Australia and New Zealand, ceremonies are still held to mark the anniversary of the various stages of the Gallipoli landing, and to mourn all the suffering and cruelty of war.

In all three countries there is strong public interest in the anniversary and commitment to ensuring that the annual commemoration continues. Even though the witnesses have gone, we see these past events as sharply as if we had experienced them ourselves.

There is the bitterness of a futile invasion which cost around half a million lives and blighted a generation. In several countries, including Australia and Turkey, there are untold numbers of families, including my own, who to this day mourn a young member killed at Gallipoli. World War I was a war in which it was extraordinarily painful to be a combatant: everyone knows of the mud of Flanders and the trenches, but the discomfort to both sides was at least as great at the Dardanelles, or Canakkale as we call it in Turkish.

For the Anzac troops who took part, it was also a meaningless conflict. Their lives were sacrificed in a cause which had little or no relevance to the countries they came from. Yet they still carried out their duties in a heroic spirit which has won the admiration of later generations.
For the Turkish people, it was the opposite. The struggle at Gallipoli was a matter of life or death. For the previous hundred years, Western powers had been trying to partition the Ottoman Empire and their designs upon it would have left little or no room for an independent Turkey. If the Gallipoli landings had succeeded, Turkey would quickly have lost its capital and control of the land and sea. It is pretty clear what would have followed such a disaster.

So it is perhaps less surprising that such a desperate national situation on the Turkish side gave rise to great heroism and saw the emergence of a remarkable military genius in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first divisional commander at Gallipoli, the future founder of the Turkish Republic and its first president. Who of us can remember his command to soldiers —"I order you to die" — without a shudder?
Of course, in practice, millions of young men in World War I received exactly this order, but in the case of the soldiers at the Dardanelles they were not being asked to waste their lives. Without their sacrifice, and Mustafa Kemal's leadership, I think it is unlikely that we would have a Turkish Republic today.

So during this terrible and pointless conflict, all three countries discovered deep reserves of courage and heroism in their soldiers and came of age as countries.

Around 3000 years earlier, a few miles south of the area of the landings, on the other side of the Straits, the city of Troy witnessed a war that became an epic in human history with the same mixture of brutality, nobility, heroism, suffering, and wretchedness as the Gallipoli campaign.

Perhaps this epic heroism is the reason the Gallipoli campaign is one of those rare historical conflicts that brought reconciliation and a spirit of togetherness and peace in its aftermath.

For as everyone knows, within a few years of the end of World War I in 1918, and the international recognition of the new Turkey with the 1924 Treaty of Lausanne, there was a remarkable new attitude on both sides to the Gallipoli campaign. A spirit of mutual respect and understanding has bound Turks and Australians ever since.

It is, I think, not just a matter of national pride, though that is undoubtedly part of the story. It is also a spirit of respect for the sacrifice that all those heroic young men made and a determination to show that later generations not only honour their memory but are determined to build a better world. And we do that by commemorating them together and sharing our pride and grief.

Things have been that way since at least the early 1930s when Ataturk urged the mothers of the fallen soldiers of Turkey's erstwhile enemies to wipe away their tears because "they have become the sons of this country". It is a familiar quotation, but I suspect it is one which wakens at least a little emotion in all of us, no matter how often we hear it.

Is all this relevant to today's world? Clearly it is. For a start, though we tend to overlook the fact, Gallipoli was a conflict between nations of different faiths. But the spirit of reconciliation, heroism and mutual respect with which we remember Gallipoli enables all involved to transcend a division which in other times and places has been deep and painful.

Second, Gallipoli means inspiration for international co-operation. I am very conscious of this because the various associations and groups in our countries that work together each year do so in a rare spirit of goodwill and mutual harmony.

Finally, like all epics, Gallipoli shows us how to be noble and good, qualities we do not hear too much about in our hyperactive, modern, market-driven societies.

So I am proud that the commemorations continue and that there is no sign that the Gallipoli spirit is flagging even though the veterans are no longer among us. Long may it continue to do so.

Those 500,000 men died largely in vain, yet something immensely valuable was born as a result. I salute the memory of all who fought on whatever side. May they rest in peace.
Murat Ersavci is the Turkish ambassador to Australia.

So during this terrible and pointless conflict, all three countries discovered deep reserves of courage and heroism in their soldiers and came of age as countries.

Around 3000 years earlier, a few miles south of the area of the landings, on the other side of the Straits, the city of Troy witnessed a war that became an epic in human history with the same mixture of brutality, nobility, heroism, suffering, and wretchedness as the Gallipoli campaign.

Perhaps this epic heroism is the reason the Gallipoli campaign is one of those rare historical conflicts that brought reconciliation and a spirit of togetherness and peace in its aftermath. For as everyone knows, within a few years of the end of World War I in 1918, and the international recognition of the new Turkey with the 1924 Treaty of Lausanne, there was a remarkable new attitude on both sides to the Gallipoli campaign. A spirit of mutual respect and understanding has bound Turks and Australians ever since.

It is, I think, not just a matter of national pride, though that is undoubtedly part of the story. It is also a spirit of respect for the sacrifice that all those heroic young men made and a determination to show that later generations not only honour their memory but are determined to build a better world. And we do that by commemorating them together and sharing our pride and grief.

Things have been that way since at least the early 1930s when Ataturk urged the mothers of the fallen soldiers of Turkey's erstwhile enemies to wipe away their tears because "they have become the sons of this country". It is a familiar quotation, but I suspect it is one which wakens at least a little emotion in all of us, no matter how often we hear it.

Is all this relevant to today's world? Clearly it is. For a start, though we tend to overlook the fact, Gallipoli was a conflict between nations of different faiths. But the spirit of reconciliation, heroism and mutual respect with which we remember Gallipoli enables all involved to transcend a division which in other times and places has been deep and painful.

Second, Gallipoli means inspiration for international co-operation. I am very conscious of this because the various associations and groups in our countries that work together each year do so in a rare spirit of goodwill and mutual harmony.

Finally, like all epics, Gallipoli shows us how to be noble and good, qualities we do not hear too much about in our hyperactive, modern, market-driven societies.

So I am proud that the commemorations continue and that there is no sign that the Gallipoli spirit is flagging even though the veterans are no longer among us. Long may it continue to do so. Those 500,000 men died largely in vain, yet something immensely valuable was born as a result.

I salute the memory of all who fought on whatever side. May they rest in peace.
Murat Ersavci is the Turkish ambassador to Australia."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/a-coming-of-age-and-of-solidarity/2008/04/24/1208743145811.html?page=2

ABC Radio and ABCTV , Done it again!

ABC TV Foreign Correspondent showing an anti-Turkish bias documantary without any of bit of Turkish side of the version...

Armenia / Turkey: Ghosts of the Past

Broadcast: 22/04/2008Reporter: Eric Campbell

LEAD STORYSERIES 17EPISODE 31

Synopsis

While the landings under fire at Gallipoli Cove on the western coast of Turkey in 1915 were seen to have helped forge Australia’s national identity, at the same time in Anatolia in central Turkey ethnic Armenians were being evicted, harassed and slaughtered. Respected historians say as many as a million people were killed and many more made refugees. (see extract*)While in some countries such as France, it is a criminal offence to deny the Armenian genocide, successive Turkish governments refuse to acknowledge it.

Two years ago Foreign Correspondent broadcast a report featuring Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s most famous author who dared to speak of the genocide. Pamuk was convicted of insulting Turkey and later was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.The report also featured an interview with Hrant Dink, the publisher of an Armenian newspaper in Istanbul. A few months later Hrant Dink was dead, allegedly shot by a teenage ultra-nationalist.Turkey’s Prime Minister responding to news of Hrant Dink’s murder saying that “a bullet has been fired at democracy and freedom.” Eric Campbell went to meet Fuat Turgut, the lawyer representing Yasin Hayal, accused of being the mastermind behind Hrant Dink’s murder. Turgut acknowledges that his client provided the alleged killer with a gun and cash. Yasin Hayal’s father concedes in an interview with Campbell his son “might have been tricked because he loves his country and his nation.” The Dink case epitomises the hostility of some Turks towards fellow citizens who happen to be ethnic Armenians. Armenians feel that little will change unless Turkey acknowledges the root of the problem – the slaughter and forced expulsions of 1915 and 1916. Turkish MP Suat Kiniklioglu, a prominent member of his country’s Foreign Affairs Commission tells Campbell that any suggestion Turkey was responsible for genocide “my government finds very insulting.” On the other side of the border, closed by Turkey, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian says the “genocide committed against the Armenian people was a huge tragedy and the sense of tragedy is being exacerbated with every passing day Turkey continues to deny.”In Armenia Eric Campbell interviews Dr Verijine Svazlian who has conducted hundreds of interviews with genocide survivors. “Gradually people opened up to me and acquired enough confidence to share some of the most horrifying, brutal and disgusting episodes of the massacres they were a witness to,” she said.Today there are a mere handful of survivors.

Mari Vardanyan, who is 102, remembers her grandfather being shot and the threat issued by Turks to the local priest. He was ordered to vacate his church or they would hang him and drink his blood.Around the world political argument continues over the Armenian genocide. Late last year US President George W. Bush rebuffed a proposal before Congress to pass a resolution formally recognising the genocide, for fear of jeopardising relations with Turkey, which is a key ally. Democrat presidential contenders, Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama are committed to recognising the Armenian genocide if elected President. * Extract from The Middle East, by Bernard Lewis, an authority on Islamic and Middle Eastern history.

Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1995In the spring of 1915 when Armenian rebels had gained control of Van, the British were at the Dardanelles, the Russians attacking in the East and another British force apparently advancing on Baghdad the Ottoman government decided on the deportation and relocation of the Armenian population of Anatolia – a practice sadly familiar in the region since biblical times. Some categories of Armenians, along with their families, were declared exempt from the deportation order; Catholics, Protestants, railway workers and members of the armed forces. But the great mass of Armenians in Anatolia extending far beyond the endangered areas and suspect groups, was included in both the deportations and its deadly consequences, The deportees suffered appalling hardship. In an embattled empire desperately short of manpower, neither soldiers nor gendarmes were available and the task of escorting the deportees was entrusted to hastily recruited local posses.

Estimates vary considerably as to the numbers of but there can be no doubt that least hundreds of thousands of Armenians perished, perhaps more than a million. Many succumbed to hunger disease and exposure; great numbers were brutally murdered either by local tribesmen and villagers, through the negligence or with the complicity of their unpaid, unfed and undisciplined escorts, or by the escorts themselves. The Ottoman central government seems to have made some effort to curb the excess.

The archives contain telegrams from high Ottoman authorities, concerned with the prevention or punishment of acts of violence against the Armenians. They include records of almost 1400 hundred courts martials at which the Ottoman civil and military personnel were tried and sentenced, some of them to death for offences against the deportees.
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2008/s2207929.htm

A conference By Professor Türkkaya Ataöv

The Turkish Australian Seminars Committee Cordially invites you to attend a conference By Professor Türkkaya Ataöv

Professor Emeritus of International Relations, at Ankara University , Turkey
At The Australian National University Physics lecture Theatre: PHYS T
Sullivans Road (Near Fellows Rd ) Acton ACT
On Monday 28 April from 5:00 pm to 8:00pm

Title of the Conference:
Turkish Identity and The Armenian Issue Coming to Terms with the Past

lecturesinaustralia@gmail.com

Lets celebrate friendships and peaceful acts, do not to support sick minds please!

Every April towards to the Anzac Day, some Australian reporters or programs ( this year ABC radio and TV) trying to turn the history upside down with full of biased emerging statements with false and misleading reports to the Australian people in order convey animosity, sadly on the week of 'the Friendship' between Australia and Turkiye despite of the Turks and their efforts to established good will around the world.

The following letter written to : http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/guestlst/guestbook.pl?foreign

Dear Eric and Foreign Correspond producer

For the segment due to be shown on 22 April. 2008 …(http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2008/s2207929.htm)
This program will let down many Turkish-Australians…by reading of your program’s synopsis, this film again one of those ones that turning the history upside down with full of biased emerging statements in order convey to inform with false and misleading report to be given to the Australian people, sadly on the week of ‘the Friendship’ between Australia and Turkiye.

Turkish Australians who have being living in Australia harmoniously by respecting multicultural Australia and Australian values for more than 40 years now. However, such this program supports to give immerse reverse impact. Your report and ABC TV should already know that such a divisive program doesn’t and won’t help Australia where supposed be a fair go country for everyone, every nationality unless an opportunity should have been provided for every nation to be able express their story and their historical realities. Otherwise, such one sided and bias program encourages and sustains animosity nothing else! Is that what you want? Turks believe the notion of ' animosity breeds animosity; it is a vicious circle ‘ therefore Turks support the idea of ‘ Peace and Harmony in Australia, Peace and Harmony in the Universe’.Turks never supports hatred for any nation consequently Turkish people in Australia and Turkey never hate Australians for invasion of the Gallipoli War. They rather focus on the lessons from history and try to grow friendship and peace in Australia out of the Gallipoli War because they know that their heritage values require supporting peace, not war!.
They also believe that there are hardly any wars, which the past conflicted parties jointly commemorate. Gallipoli serves as a message of ' PEACE ' to the whole world.

Lets celebrate friendships and peaceful acts not to support sick minds please! Otherwise you and your like minded people have to chose imperialistic ideas to grow in Australia or notLest we forget the price of animosity!

Julia Gul Arslan
Founder of Australia-Gallipoli Friendship Society Inc.

Australia-Gelibolu Dostluk Derneginden Duyuru

Hatirlanacagi gibi Turklerin Melbounre’daki ilk yerlesim yeri olan ve simdiki adi Maygar Barracks olan eski adiyla Broadmeadows askeri kampindaki bahcede bulunan ve kozasi Gelibolu’dan getirilen cam agacinin altina bir dostluk plaketi nin 2007 yilinda yerlestirmistik.Bu yilda ayni askei kampin yetkilileri 2008 yili Anzak Gunu kapsaminda yapilan ve sabah saat 5 :25 de baslayacak olan Safak Toreninde aralarinda bizi gormekden memnun olacaklarini belirtmislerdir.Toplum uyelerimiz ile Camp road uzerindeki Maygar Barracks askeri kampinda bulusmayi diliyoruz.
SaygilarimizlaAustralia-Gelibolu Dostluk Dernegi
Contact: 0421 450 904
http://www.ausgallipoli.net/
http://proudturks.blogspot.com/
http://auscanakkale.blogspot.com/
http://gularslan.blogspot.com/http://johnnyturks-mediawatch.blogspot.com/

25th of April is not an Animosity Day it is a Friendship Day

the following letter sent to :
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/contact/thanks.htm

to: Mr.Philip Adams and ABC radio producers;

" Continuing the same subject again,,,( rather not!), after listening to your program the interview with Mr. Balakian (14th of April2008) I feel extremely disturbed like many other Turkish Australians who have being living in Australia respecting Multiculturalism and Australian values. However, such this program support s ans gives to the society reverse impact.

Especially, this divisive program doesn't help/won't help to Australia to became fair go for everyone and every nationalities to be able express their historical realities.
Such a program was encouraging and sustaining the animosity. Turks believe the notions of 'Animosity breeds animosity, it is a vicious circle and also Peace and Harmony in Australia, Peace and Harmony in the universe .'

Turks never supports hatred for any nation therefore Turkish people in Australia and Turkey never hate Australians for the Gallipoli War for their invasion ( which was happened same year in 1915) rather encourge to grow friendship and peace from the Gallipoli War since there are hardly any wars, which the past conflicted parties jointly commemorate.

Gallipoli serves as a message of ' PEACE ' to the whole world.

Lets celebrate friendships and peaceful acts not sick minds please! "

Kindly,
Julia Gul Arslan
http://www.ausgallipoli.net/

the so-called Armenian genocide of 1915 on the ABC Radio / Philip Adams

Armenian Genocide Program on ABC Late Night Live Presented by Phillip AdamsListen Now Download Audio

As Australians mark Anzac Day next week, Armenians around the world will be remembering a parallel event -- the Armenian genocide of 1915.

As Allied troops landed at Gallipoli, the Ottoman government was rounding up Armenian intellectuals and leaders, who were later executed en masse. The expulsion and slaughter continued for two years, and many of the Australian POWs from Gallipoli bore witness to the terrible treatment of Armenians.It was the first genocide of the 20th century but until recently it had little attention paid to it. Recognition is growing, and even within Turkey, where nationalists have fought bitterly to deny the genocide, a small group of Turkish scholars have challenged their offical Turkish account!

.GuestsPeter Balakian: Writer and poet; Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor of the Humanities and Professor of English at Colgate University.Colin Tatz: Director of the Australian Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Armenian Genocide Commemoration Events in Melbourne
Commemoration EventSaturday 26 April 2008, Time 7:30pmLocation St. Judes Community Centre, 49 George Street, Scoresby

Key Note speaker New York Times Best Selling Author Prof. Peter BalakianLibrary OpeningSaturday 27 April 2008, 6:00pmLocation Armenian Cultural Centre, 8 - 14 Police Road, Springvale


Commemoration and Memory: The Culture of ForgettingMonday 28 April 2008, 8:00pmLocation Exhibition Space H116 Building H Monash Caulfield Campus

Writings from a Denied Genocide30 April 2008, 7:30pmLocation Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria


Armenian Genocide Commemoration Events in Sydney

Armenian Genocide Commemoration Events in SydneyUTS Kuring-gai CampusDate: 20th April 2008 Time: 6 pmLocation: Eton Road,Lindfield, NSW 2070

Western Region Commemoration EveningDate Friday 18 April 2008Time 7:30pmLocation 682 Cabramatta Road, Bonnyrigg

Commemoration EveningDate Sunday 20 April 2008Time 6:00pmLocation University of Technology, Sydney (Kuring-gai Campus)Eton Road, LindfieldKey Note speaker New York Times Best Selling Author Prof. Peter Balakian


An SOS Beyond GallipoliDate Monday 21 April 2008Time 7:00pmLocation Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney

Genocide Outlook Lecture - "A comparison of genocides past and the consequences of future inaction"Date Wednesday 23 April 2008Time 7:00pmLocation Shalom College UNSW, Barker Street, Kensington

Wreath Laying Ceremony & Armenian Genocide Commemorative LectureDate Thursday 24 April 2008Time 7:00pmLocation NSW State Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney

Ryde Council MemorialDate Sunday 27th April 2008Time 1:30pmLocation Meadow Crescent, Meadowbank


See the progress on http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2008/04/2427-turkkaya-ataov-peter-balakian.html

Take an action now!

LISTEN (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2008/2217843.htm)
AND WRITE A LETTER TO http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/contact/) ABC RADIO presenter Philip Adams now!!!

The following letter written by GArslan

" So-Called Armenian Genocide versus 'Johnny Turks’ that described by the Australians...

Mr. Adams, I listened your Late Night Radio conversation yesterday in regards to the Armenian allegations with full of surprise and disappointment. I wish you had contacted or invited to the program one of Turkish historian in regards this controversial historical event as well.
How would you describe the Turks did genocide against to the Armenians whereas very kind, fair, gentlemen to towards to the Anzacs in 1915?
I am so surprise that despite of millions of innocent Turkish loss ( why ?) , you haven’t mentioned the Turkish loss during the war since 1911- 1919.( especially in 1915) in your program. Such allegations on the Turkish history have being going on for years now and Turks are very deeply sadden not just false allegations but also respected intellectuals like you not usually seek any Turkish side of the historian view/s.
How would you describe the 24th of April as Genocide Commemoration Day despite even one person didn’t get even killed?How would you assume that it was a Genocide despite of upraised citizens were armed and fighting against to your country?

How would you assume that was Genocide targeting your citizens to kill and cutting your country’s telecommunications during the war?If there was so-called Genocide( East Turkey) would that be let other Armenian citizens alone in the rest of the country who living other part of the Turkey( West Turkey) wouldn’t they collected to gain to the relocation journey all together?Mr. Adams, assume that we are at war now in Australia and Australian men fighting in the East, West, South, North nearly seven fronts and the Turkish men armed by Japanese.And assumed that Turkish rebels continuously killing many innocent and defenceless Australian women and children who left by their men during the wartime.
( Don’t forget that assuming eastern part of Australia have oil and other natural resources. and Japan and its allies wanting to get all the natural resources especially oil.) …In such case what the Australian government would do? Assume that the Australian government decided to relocate the rebellion Turks towards to Tasmania ( which is still part of Australia -) ... same happend in Turkey in 1915.

This is what happened to the Armenians, they were relocated to the Syria which was still part of Turkey( Ottoman) and even given some land to do farming to these relocated people.). - Do you know how many Turks killed in the war in 1915? (In total in between 1911-1919)?

None mentions about the Turkish loss- Do you know that even one Armenian didn’t get to killed on the 24 of April (which was supposed to happened so called Armenian genocide had happened?)(All it had being done was 235 ring leaders of the Armenians send to the prison to be able manage and stop the current climate) - Do you know how many fronts the Turks were fighting to defend for their country?- Do you know what happened to the defenceless women and children in the Eastern Turkey when Turkish men went to at least 7 fronts to fight for their invaded country? Briefly, That wasn’t genocide but relocation of upraised Armenians.

The Armenians were living peacefully In Turkey before the Russians and France help them to Upraised.When the oil found in the area imperial forces helped the Armenians by using them to cause koas in the region so that natural resources can be capture easily same as now in the Middle East.( nothing has being changed since then in the area.)
It is true that many Armenian got killed during the uprising, but much much more Turks killed by the Armenians and the others.

Sadly, the missing and dead happened for the both of people. Armenians used to live with the Turks side by side for centuries, and gained high degrees of government jobs and used to be called by the Sultans as ‘ Milleti - Sadika (reliable Millet)’ Lastly,How much we know the Azeri genocide done by Armenians in 1992?

Would you please tell me why Armenia occupies %20 of Azeri land in 1992 and please explain what happened to nearly 500 Azeri people?Khojaly Massacre-(Azeri Genocide committed by Armenians on 26th February 1992) How about the Republic of Turkish Foreign Diplomatic consulates and officers/representatives had been killed in the course of Armenian dilemma?
More Information:
http://www.redicecreations.com/specialreports/armeniangenocide.ht

Full letter at Web : http://www.ausgallipoli.net/LettersWrittenbyTAus_Index_08.htm

TURKS AS FIGHTERS ...:they never fired or abused the white flag.

"....The Turks signalled us to bring them off, and then they never fired or abused the white flag. The third instance occurred on our left, when we made the advance in August. Our Ambulance was under a hill, and a howitzer battery took up a position just in front. The Turk sent word that either the Ambulance or the battery would have to move, otherwise they would be forced to fire on the Ambulance. ...As to their sense of fair play, when the Triumph was sunk, they never fired on her... "

FIVE MONTHS AT ANZAC
A NARRATIVE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE OFFICER COMMANDING THE 4th FIELD AMBULANCE, AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE

By JOSEPH LIEVESLEY BEESTON
C.M.G., V.D., L.R.C.S.I., Colonel A.A.M.C. Late O.C. 4th Field Ambulance, late A.D.M.S. New Zealand and Australian Division
Produced by Elaine Walker and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

Project Gutenberg's Five Months at Anzac, by Joseph Lievesley Beeston This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Five Months at Anzac A Narrative of Personal Experiences of the Officer Commanding the 4th Field Ambulance, Australian Imperial Force Author: Joseph Lievesley Beeston Release Date: May 24, 2005
[EBook #15896]


TURKS AS FIGHTERS
One cannot conclude these reminiscences without paying a tribute to Abdul as a fighting man. All I know about him is in his favour. We have heard all about his atrocities and his perfidy and unspeakablenesses, but the men we met fought fairly and squarely; and as for atrocities it is always well to hear the other side of the question. At the beginning of the campaign it was commonly reported that the Turks mutilated our wounded. ...

Now I believe that to be an unmitigated lie, probably given a start by men who had never set foot in the Peninsula—or who, if they did, had taken an early opportunity of departure. We were in a position to know whether any mutilation had occurred, and I certainly saw none.

I believe that similar reports were existent among the Turks regarding us, and I formed that opinion from the attitude and behaviour of one of the prisoners when I went to dress his wound. He uttered most piteous cries and his conduct led me to believe that he thought he was to be illtreated. I have mentioned before the class to which most of the prisoners were. They were always most grateful for any kindness shown them.

As to their sense of fair play, when the Triumph was sunk, they never fired on her—though I understand it would have been quite allowable directly the men set foot on another warship. Again, about a fortnight after the landing at Anzac, we tried to land a force at Gaba Tepe, but had to retire and leave our wounded.

The Turks signalled us to bring them off, and then they never fired or abused the white flag. The third instance occurred on our left, when we made the advance in August. Our Ambulance was under a hill, and a howitzer battery took up a position just in front. The Turk sent word that either the Ambulance or the battery would have to move, otherwise they would be forced to fire on the Ambulance.

The shells we got on the beach could not be attributed to any disregard of the Red Cross, for they could not see the flag, and moreover the Ordnance was next to us, a thing utterly out of order, but unavoidable under the circumstances.
My career on the Peninsula came to a close at the end of September, when I fell ill and was put on the hospital ship. The same evening a very willing attack was put up by the Turk. One had a good and most interesting view, as one was in perfect safety. The bursting shells in the darkness were very picturesque.
Prior to going off we had often discussed the pleasure of getting between sheets and into a decent bed—how one would curl up and enjoy it. But my first night under those conditions was spent in tossing about, without a wink of sleep. It was too quiet. Being accustomed to be lulled to sleep by the noise of six-inch guns from a destroyer going over my dug-out, I could now hear a pin drop, and it was far too quiet.

We found we were to be sent to England. Malta was no place in which to get rid of Mediterranean fever. The treatment the people of England give the Australians is handsome in the extreme. They cannot do enough to make them comfortable. Country houses are thrown open to the invalided men, perfect strangers though they are, and all are welcome.

Together with Major Courtenay (with whom I came over) I was taken to Lockleys, in Hertfordshire. Sir Evelyn and Lady de La Rue had a standing invitation at Horseferry Road, the Australian Military Headquarters, for six officers. We happened to be among the lucky ones to be included, and the kindness I received from our host and hostess will be remembered during the remainder of my life.


THE ARMISTICE
On the 23rd of May anyone looking down the coast could see a man on Gaba Tepe waving a white flag. He was soon joined by another occupied in a like manner. Some officers came into the Ambulance and asked for the loan of some towels; we gave them two, which were pinned together with safety pins. White flags don't form part of the equipment of Australia's army.

Seven mounted men had been observed coming down Gaba Tepe, and they were joined on the beach by our four. The upshot was that one was brought in blindfolded to General Birdwood. Shortly after we heard it announced that a truce had been arranged for the following day in order to bury the dead. The following morning Major Millard and I started from our right and walked up and across the battle-field. It was a stretch of country between our lines and those of the Turks, and was designated No Man's Land.
At the extreme right there was a small farm; the owner's house occupied part of it, and was just as the man had left it. Our guns had knocked it about a good deal. In close proximity was a field of wheat, in which there were scores of dead Turks. As these had been dead anything from a fortnight to three weeks their condition may be better imagined than described. One body I saw was lying with the leg shattered. He had crawled into a depression in the ground and lay with his great-coat rolled up for a pillow; the stains on the ground showed that he had bled to death, and it can only be conjectured how long he lay there before death relieved him of his sufferings. Scores of the bodies were simply riddled with bullets. Midway between the trenches a line of Turkish sentries were posted. Each was in a natty blue uniform with gold braid, and top boots, and all were done "up to the nines."

Each stood by a white flag on a pole stuck in the ground. We buried all the dead on our side of this line and they performed a similar office for those on their side.
Stretchers were used to carry the bodies, which were all placed in large trenches. The stench was awful, and many of our men wore handkerchiefs over their mouths in their endeavour to escape it. I counted two thousand dead Turks.

One I judged to be an officer of rank, for the bearers carried him shoulder-high down a gully to the rear.

The ground was absolutely covered with rifles and equipment of all kinds, shell-cases and caps, and ammunition clips.
The rifles were all collected and the bolts removed to prevent their being used again. Some of the Turks were lying right on our trenches, almost in some of them. The Turkish sentries were peaceable-looking men, stolid in type and of the peasant class mostly.
We fraternised with them and gave them cigarettes and tobacco. Some Germans were there, but they viewed us with malignant eyes.
When I talked to Colonel Pope about it afterwards he said the Germans were a mean lot of beggars:
"Why,"
said he most indignantly,
"they came and had a look into my trenches."
I asked
"What did you do?"
He replied,
"Well, I had a look at theirs."