A short/long side note that I meant to mention yesterday.

One of the other great things about the Gallipoli trip was the chance to learn more about the our gracious Turkish hosts.

Every year the Turks have to endure hordes of Antipodeans flocking to a small national park that has trouble accommodating the numbers of people. They are facing a tough job over the next few years in accommodating for the ever-increasing crowds, but this year they did well.

I have only good things to say about the Turks. They are friendly people who who extend a warm welcome to us Aussies for the one week of the year.

Aside from their hospitality, the Turks often fail to get a mention in the Anzac spirit, when they form an integral part of it. In our joint Aussie & Kiwi celebrations we often forget that one of the things that made the Gallipoli campaign special was the many stories of human compassion that crossed the border created by the dead-mans land between the trenches.

By the end of the 7 months it was commonly accepted that although the two sides were still firing at each other, a genuine respect for each other had developed. There are countless stories of food being thrown between trenches, wounded men being carried back to their own trenches by enemy soldiers and general human compassion shining through the madness of war.

It was this environment that nurtured the Anzac spirit and allowed it to shine and become what we know it as today.

One thing rarely mentioned back home is that Gallipoli was also a defining time in Turkish history. During WWI the Turks were only just starting to emerge from the centuries old Ottoman Empire.

The man who stood up and lead the staunch Turkish defence against the Allies was a man called Mustafa Kamal, later to become known as Mustafa Kamal Ataturk (Father of Turks). He forged his name overlooking the trenches of Gallipoli.

Over the next two decades Ataturk became the greatest progressive and reformist figure in Turkish history. He lead the Turks out of the shadow of the Ottoman Empire Islamic state to become a member of the progressive Western democratic culture.

He introduced a wide variety of reforms including a new Turkish language based on Latin rather then Arabic, introduced democracy, banned head-scarves, and many other Westernising factors. For more info: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Mustafa%20Kamal%20Attaturk

Basically, he dragged Turkey out Islam into the the modern democratic world. Although Turkey is still an Islamic country by religion, they are a Western democracy in most other senses. Even today Ataturk is still considered the founding father of modern Turkey.

After the war finish he also led the reconciliation between the Turks and the Allied invaders. As I mentioned Gallipoli is now a national park that has permanent memorials to the soldiers of all nationalities that died during the fighting. This to me highlights the feelings of good will, mutual respect and ‘mateship’ that now exist between all our countries.

I think that the words that best capture the Anzac spirit are the words of Ataturk himself. This quote has been immortalised in stone on the memorial at Anzac Cove, I’m sure you’ll all understand why.

Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives;
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
and the Mehemets to us where they lie side by side
here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
who sent their sons from far away countries,
wipe away your tears;
your sons are now lying in our bosom
and are at peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have
become our sons as well.