As we approach Remembrance Sunday, my thoughts this year are particularly focussed on the Gallipoli campaign. We’re at the one hundredth anniversary of that invasion attempt, which took place from April 25th 1915 to January 9th 1916.
Comedian Hugh Dennis has produced an excellent BBC programme called “In search of Great Uncle Frank” which explains the campaign very well, through a visit to Suvla Bay (in present-day Turkey), scene of much of the carnage, to retrace the steps of his Great Uncle Frank, who died during the action.
Tens of thousands of young people died in the battles. They came from the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, India and France.
As well as providing an excellent narrative of the events, Hugh Dennis provides, in the programme (which can still be listened to on BBC iPlayer here), an interesting historical perspective.
I was particularly touched by his interview with an old Turkish woman. She said she was not angry about the invasion and that the Turkish regard all the soldiers who died in the campaign, from whatever nation they came, as “Sons of Turkey”. They became our sons when they died here, she said. This was an attitude, she said, encouraged by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
It seems to me that such a forgiving, human approach to remembrance is much needed.
I declare an interest in that my grandfather, C.H.Walter of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, was fortunate enough to survive the Suvla Bay landing with his horse, Susie. Sadly, many of his comrades-in-arms did not.
Once again I remember, with gratitude, this year that I’ve been fortunate enough not to be “called up” and have enjoyed the freedom to express myself on things like this blog, unlike millions who have had their lives cut short by the horror of war.
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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9 Comments
Well said Paul when you say: “I remember, with gratitude, this year that I’ve been fortunate enough not to be “called up” and have enjoyed the freedom to express myself on things like this blog, unlike millions who have had their lives cut short by the horror of war.”.
Last year I was reading some soldier’s accounts of what WW1 was like to fight in and it filled me with terror. Unspeakably bad things happened to these soldiers and still to do soldiers and civilians alike who are unfortunate enough to come into contact with war.
As readers will know: I’m not one who has become a pacifist after reading these stories, but I think sometimes we should stop to think about what the individual horrors of war so that we don’t get carried away simply thinking about the big picture.
My grandfather was wounded on the beach at Gallipoli. Such was the slaughter the sea turned from blue to red. Needless to say my grandfather didn’t much of Winston Churchill.
didn’t think much
Historians consider that Winston Churchill was a great strategist, but the plan was leaked, so the ottomans were ready.
Attitudes in Australa were changed because of Murdoch. Winston Churchill left the Cabinet and served on the Western front. It is important to learn from mistakes. This defeat did not end Winston Churchill’s career.
Richard
The plan may have looked good on paper but the terrain was difficult and the maps they had were inadequate. The Australians have created a memorial shrine there as they have at Hell Fire Pass.
Apart from the military issues (e.g. General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston – a future blimp Tory MP – saying he was glad to “have blooded the pups ” of 52nd Lowland Division at Gully Ravine) there are some interesting political side issues.
Yes, it destroyed Churchill.s reputation and was an issue in forcing the the end of the last truly Liberal Government with the formation of the 1915 Coalition. The PM’s son Arthur Asquith passed over the award of the VC to someone else, A future PM Clement Atlee (with H.H. Asquith probably the two greatest peacetime PM)s served in Gallipoli – as did Douglas Houghton a future chairman of the parliamentary Labour Party and MP for Sowerby.
Still a haunting place and well worth a visit.
As a New Zealander I am moved by the sacrifice made by the brave Allied soldiers who traveled half way round the world to defend freedom and liberty but I am worried by the perpetuation of the myth that surrounds Mustafa Kamal Ataturk that you refer to. Ataturk may be the father of modern Turkey but it was his forces that kidnapped British soldiers that were used as hostages to free the young turks charged with appalling war crimes that were the first great genocide of the 20th century. Although he himself was not the main culprit of the Armenian genocide it is well documented that he was responsible for the death of thousands or Armenian christians. The connection between Anzac day and the Armenian genocide was even more poignant this year when they bought forward the commemoration date to the same date that the Armenians remember the 1.5m innocent Armenians slaughtered by the Turks. It fills me with shame that the govt of NZ and UK (I have dual nationality) refuse to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. I find it interesting that despite more French dead at Gallipoli that Australian, Hollande quite rightly chose to spend 24 April this year at Yerevan and not Gallipoli. I have to confess that 8 months ago I was ignorant of the facts regarding the Armenian Genocide but the 100 year remembrance activities have led me to suspect that this is a subject that the authorities would rather we were ignorant of. Having read Geoffrey Robertson’s excellent book I think it is indeed an “inconvenient genocide”. Its one thing to forgive but Turkey needs to accept the truth about the Armenian Genocide. I’d be interested what others thought about UK govt non acknowledgement.
Re. C H Walter and horse Susie
The horses were actually left behind in Egypt when this Regiment were posted to Gallipoli. They only had a few days to “retrain” as foot soldiers.
C H Walter was reunited with Susie when he was evacuated from Turkey and travelled back home via Egypt.
thanks James