High Commissioner addresses Anzac Day dawn service in London

“On this 98th anniversary of the Allied landings at Gallipoli, we gather at hundreds of dawn services around Australia and New Zealand; here in Britain; in the steaming heat of Papua New Guinea; in a chill morning of a Flanders field; at Fromelles and Villers Bretonneux, in Turkey and in ceremonies around the world. And on this day we honour a special relationship between Australia and New Zealand forged in mud and blood.

The statistics tell a stark story. During the First World War, 38.7 percent of the total male population of Australia, aged between 18 and 44, fought with a casualty rate of 65 percent, the highest of any country. It was a similar story with New Zealand. 42 percent of Kiwi males fought with a casualty rate of 58 percent. It was a conflict that helped define our identities as new nations as well as enshrine a bond between us that can never be broken.

Turkish flag to fly at Port Noarlunga's Anzac Day dawn service in show of mutual respect

Turkish-Cypriot migrant Ozen Hassan will hold the Turkish flag at the Memorial Gardens, alongside Port Noarlunga and Christies Beach RSL president Steve McInnes, who will bear the RSL flag.

Mr Hassan, 74, of Morphett Vale, was approached by Mr McInnes to carry the flag.

"When Steve found out I was a Turkish-Cypriot he said you are the man we are looking for," Mr Hassan said. "This is a great, great honour - I never thought it would happen to me."

Mr Hassan had a great-uncle killed at Gallipoli and has been a member of the Port Noarlunga-Christies Beach RSL for 30 years.

Gallipoli crowds down ahead of centenary

Fears that people would stay away from Anzac services at Gallipoli in the hope they'd be able to attend the 2015 centenary commemorations have proven true.
The official crowd of a little over 5200 in 2013 is down 15 percent on last year's attendance of 6000.
In 2011, about 6500 pilgrims, mainly Australians and New Zealanders, travelled to the Gallipoli peninsula to pay their respects to the war dead.
Australia's director of the 2015 commemoration, the Department of Veterans Affairs' Tim Evans, this week said it was likely people could stay away because they wanted to attend the 100th anniversary.
However, Melbourne woman Jessica Hills, 24, is at Anzac Cove today precisely because she was put off by the controversial ballot which will limit places to 8000 Australians and 2000 New Zealanders in 2015.
"There's no guarantee of a spot," she said ahead of the dawn service.

Gallipoli trip moves hard man Mark Geyer

IN his day, there wasn't too much that could move man-mountain league legend Mark Geyer but yesterday on the hill tops above Gallipoli he confessed to the emotions overbearing him.

Geyer lamented as he looked at the headstones of the fallen Diggers how many were 18 years old, the same age as his son Logan.

Geyer had spent 12 months preparing for his first trip to Turkey, his first trip overseas since the Kangaroos Tour of 1990, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

Lone protester disrupts Gallipoli service

A LONE protester disrupted the solemn dawn service at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli just after Australia's official representative had finished addressing the smaller-than-expected crowd of 5200 pilgrims.

There was no mythologising the Gallipoli campaign when Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon spoke at the site where the Anzacs mistakenly landed 98 years ago.

Mr Snowdon described the subsequent eight-month Gallipoli campaign as a "calamity". It ended with the withdrawal of troops in mid-December 1915.

Ali Riza Ersoy could face three months in jail for disturbing Gallipoli Anzac dawn service

A 65-YEAR-OLD man who disrupted the dawn service at Anzac Cove could be jailed for three months in Turkey.
Ali Riza Ersoy started yelling as Australian Veterans Affairs' Minister Warren Snowdon concluded his speech to 5200 pilgrims who'd gathered at Gallipoli to pay their respects to the war dead.

He was subsequently detained by the Turkish Gendarmerie and removed from the peninsula in an unmarked car.

Turkish court interpreter Celal Boz says there is always a penalty for creating such a disturbance.

Australia’s Federation Guard rehearses for Gallipoli

Australia’s Federation Guard (AFG), Gallipoli contingent, is fine tuning its drill in preparation for Anzac Day ceremonies on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey.
The contingent, with representatives from each of the services Navy, Army and Air Force, has been rehearsing its drill at the Australian War Memorial during the opening and closing of the Hall of Remembrance, and in the forecourt of the national shrine.
In Gallipoli the AFG will stand as solemn guards at the Gallipoli Memorial throughout the Anzac Day Dawn Service.
For many members it will be their first trip to Gallipoli. Continue reading →

Australian nurses return to Gallipoli

Australian nurses are returning to Gallipoli for the 98th anniversary of the landing of ANZAC troops, to care for Australian war veterans at the dawn service.
University of Queensland School of Nursing and Midwifery Associate Professor Christine Neville is one of the nurses travelling to the historic World War I battlefield, following the footsteps of her ancestors.
“It really is an honour to be selected to accompany these men and women to this very significant event,” Associate Professor Neville said.
“I heard a call for volunteers and thought I would really love to do that,” she said.

Gallipoli spirit flourishes in Western Port

Crib Point RSL members hope to plant the seedling at the Crib Point cenotaph this week in readiness for Anzac Day.
Crib Point RSL vice-president Frank Penfold said the seedling was nurtured on a local property over the past four years.
The seed was brought to Australia after being found at the site of the World War I Battle of Lone Pine.
“This is a piece of Anzac,” he said. “So many people fought at Gallipoli and now we have a piece of Anzac history at Crib Point