Anzac Dawn Service Gallipoli
The Gallipoli campaign of 1915 is therefore indelibly linked to the development of our nationhood in much the same way as the Battle of Canakkale in 1915 is central to the development of modern Turkey.Each year, approximately 10-12,000 Australians of all ages make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli to commemorate Anzac Day where visitor numbers reach 13-15,000. For most, it is a profoundly emotional experience in a place where many Australian believe our national identity was forged. The Gallipoli Peninsula is equally revered as a site of remembrance by Australia’s allies (New Zealand, Britain, France and India) and by the Turks who suffered a quarter of million casualties including 87, 000 deaths in defending their homeland against this Allied invasion.
REMEMBERING THE WAR DEAD
The Gallipoli Peninsula is a place revered by the Turkish people. Visitors are asked to respect the environment and, in particular, to recognize that thousands of soldiers who fell there, have no known grave. Visitors should also respect the fact
that thousands of British, French and Indian soldiers as well as Australian and New Zealand soldiers, died in Gallipoli and that many nationals come to pay their respects to both the ANZAC’s and their own nations soldiers. Over 22,000 British soldiers died at Gallipoli and an increasing number of visitors from the United Kingdom visit Gallipoli on this day. Anzac Day at Gallipoli has truly become an international day of commemoration.
Of the 31 war cemeteries maintained on the Peninsula by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 17 are located in the Anzac Area. They contain graves of known and unknown soldiers from a number of Commonwealth nations and again, should be treated with the utmost respect. The Commission has maintained these cemeteries for over 80 years and the task is not made easier by the climate or the numbers of visitors who pause at each headstone. Of course, visitors are most welcome and the Commission appreciates the intense public interest in their cemeteries, not only at Gallipoli, but around the world.
ORDER OF SERVICES
To make the most of your visit, please note the section on “General Conditions”. The schedule of services on 25 April 2002 is as follows:
- 05:30-06:15 ANZAC Dawn Service, Anzac Commemorative Site
- 09:00-10.00 Turkish International Service, Mehmetcik Abide
- 10:10-10:40 French Memorial Service, Morto Bay
- 10:55-11:25 Commonwealth Memorial Service, Cape Helles
- 12:00-12:40 Australian Memorial Service, Lone Pine
- 12:50-13:20 Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service
- 13:40-14:10 New Zealand Memorial Service, Chunk Bair.
Programs prepared by the Office of Australian War Graves on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Governments will be distributed on arrival at the dawn service . The Service Program covers all three Australian and New Zealand services and is being prepared as a souvenir brochure.
ANZAC DAWN SERVICE GALLIPOLI ANZAC COMMEMORATIVE SITE
7The ANZAC dawn service is similar to an Australian dawn service, except that its content involves both Australian and New Zealand participants, including the involvement of both senior Government Ministers and selected youths of each nation. There is also increasing recognition of the large number of British forces that served and died in the Anzac Area. Wreath laying is usually limited to official wreaths because of the large number of national representatives. Private wreaths can be laid after the service. The Lone Pine and Chunk Bair services are Australian and New Zealand national services respectively.
It is preferable to arrive at the Anzac Commemorative Site by 02:00 AM if you wish to obtain a good viewing position. At least 5,000 visitors are expected at the site by this time
Side platforms are provided for media representatives and seating will be provided for the official party to maintain good viewing conditions for all visitors. Subject to available space, it is possible that additional seating will be provided for the frail and disabled.
On completion of the Dawn Service at approximately 0615 hours, visitors have a five-hour period before commencement of the Lone Pine Service at 1200 hours. Many walk the 2-3 kilometers via Ari Burnu, Beach, Shrapnel Valley and Shell Green Cemeteries. Others wait for their coach to arrive from north of the Anzac Commemorative Site.
TURKISH SERVICES
The Turkish International Service involves representatives of all five nations, while the Turkish 57th Infantry Regiment Service commemorates those Turkish soldiers who first resisted the Anzac soldiers following the landings at Anzac Cove and North Beach. This Regiment was part of the 19th Division commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal who became Kemal Ataturk, the first President of the Republic of Turkey.
Australian National Service -Lone Pine War Cemetery
Due to numbers, it is recommended that those planning to attend the Lone Pine service arrive at this site by mid morning to obtain the best possible view.
To cope with the expected attendances and to relieve the pressures on the war cemetery, additional seating platforms are being constructed for visitors either side of the cemetery. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will greatly appreciate the cooperation of visitors in minimizing the damage to the cemetery. Areas roped off should not be entered in order to protect the plants growing in fragile and arid conditions. Seating will be provided for the official party in order to improve viewing for those standing behind.
For those intending to attend both the Lone Pine and Chunk Bair services, please note that the only method of traveling between these two sites on the 25 April is on foot. The time between the services is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. The route slopes uphill past the 57th Regiment Service and is approximately 3.3 kilometers long. Please respect the fact that a Turkish Service is in progress. The walk is well marked but will take a reasonably fit individual about one hour to complete.
GENERAL CONDITIONS
The Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park covers almost the entire Peninsula and is protected in order to preserve the archaeological, cultural and military heritage of the area. The Anzac Commemorative Site is the site of the Anzac Day dawn service. It has been constructed with the approval of the Turkish Government because of the damage that was done annually to the Ari Burnu War Cemetery when the dawn services were held there.
The following information has been prepared to assist visitors wishing to attend the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli to plan their trip. We are sure that your visit to the Peninsula will be a memorable one. However, it is important for international visitors to understand that only very limited facilities are available. The Turkish Government strictly controls any development on the Peninsula in an attempt to preserve this important historical site. The organization of these facilities has only been possible with the assistance of the Australian and New Zealand Embassies in Ankara and through the cooperation of the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
TOILET FACILITIES
Toilets exist at the Kabatepe Museum but at few other places in the Anzac area. 24 portable toilets and 12 Urinals of very high quality are installed annually by the Office of Australian War Graves from 23-25 April inclusive at the Anzac Commemorative Site. Similarly, the Office of Australian War Graves will install 12 portable toilets and 12 Urinals at the Lone Pine Site this year. The Director, Turkish National Parks also installs some additional toilets for the service at Lone Pine. These facilities have to cater for the approximately 15,000 visitors expected to attend Anzac Day services at the Park. There is no running water except at these toilets and no power or lighting except as provided by generators for the dawn service.
WEATHER
he weather at Gallipoli in April can be variable, ranging from very cold and windy to cool and wet. Visitors remaining overnight or arriving in the early hours of the morning should be appropriately dressed. Torches should be carried and some plastic sheeting in case of rain might prove useful.
SEATING
There is extremely limited seating at the sites of the Anzac Day services on the Peninsula. At the Dawn Service, seating is provided for the official party. However, to maintain good viewing conditions for all visitors there are very few additional seats. At the Lone Pine Service later in the day, additional seating platforms have been constructed on either side of the cemetery. Nevertheless, there is insufficient seating to cater for the numbers attending.
REFRESHMENTS
There are no official refreshment stands catering for visitors. Local Turkish food and drink vendors sell their products within the Park; however, bottled water is not readily available. Visitors should note this limitation and plan accordingly. Rubbish disposal is provided and visitors are encouraged to respect the nature of Gallipoli as a Memorial and to use the bins.
FIRST AID
The Turkish Army provides limited first aid facilities on the 25 April for visitors.
ACCOMMODATION
Unless accommodation is booked through travel agents, it is extremely difficult to find a hotel or hostel room in the Çanakkale or Eceabat area. Many travel directly to Gallipoli by coach from Istanbul 24 April and return late the next day, thereby avoiding the accommodation problem.
The Turkish Jandarma (Traffic Police) will close the direct route from Eceabat at 03:45. Therefore, the last useable public ferry leaving Canakkale will be at 03:00. All public traffic including coaches after that time will be diverted through Buyukanafarta and visitors may have to walk the last five to seven kilometers.
ROAD CLOSURES AND WAITING TIMES
Management of traffic in Turkey is the sole responsibility of the Turkish Gendarme (Traffic Police). Recent discussions concerning traffic flow at the Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park on Anzac Day were held between Australian representatives, Turkish Authorities and the Turkish Tourist Bureau (TURSAB). Following these discussions, the traffic plan in place on the 25th April 2002 is likely to be as detailed here.
Please Note: The number of large vehicles on narrow roads with limited turning facilities means that traffic control remains a major problem. Those attending Anzac Day services on the Peninsula should note these limitations and expected delays and plan their visit accordingly.
Passenger Set Down and Pick Up for Dawn Service
Passenger cars will not be permitted past the intersection of Pine Ridge and Brighton Beach Roads. Parking will be available at either the Kabatepe Museum or as directed by the Gendarme. Consequently, those traveling by private vehicle will need to walk the last three kilometers to the Anzac Commemorative Site.
Coach traffic will travel on the main road from Eceabat past the Kabatepe Museum and then north on the Brighton Beach Road past Ari Burnu to the Anzac Commemorative Site. All visitors will disembark at or near the site and the coaches will continue north and pre-position heading south to facilitate departure. This arrangement is necessitated by the lack of turn around facilities for coaches.
On completion of the Dawn Service, the departure of official cars will occur before coach departures. The coaches will then pick up passengers from the Dawn Service and travel via the Kabatepe Museum where passengers who wish to attend the International Services (See Note below) will disembark.
Please Note: All visitors are most welcome to attend any of the services. However, distance and road closures generally make attendance at all the services listed extremely difficult if not impossible. However, visitors who wish to attend the International Services may disembark at the Kabatepe Museum where they will be able to catch shuttle buses that will ferry them down to the International Services and then back to the Museum at the conclusion of these services. Passengers who attend the International Service may miss the Lone Pine or Chunk Bair Services because of road closures and the need to walk uphill from the Museum to these two sites. The walk from the Museum to the Lone Pine site is approximately three kilometers while the distance to Chunk Bair is approximately six kilometers.
Passenger Set Down and Pick Up for the Lone Pine and Chunk Bair Services Passenger cars will not be permitted past the intersection of Pine Ridge and Brighton Beach Roads. The following information is provided for those visitors who wish to attend either the Lone Pine or Chunk Bair services on the 25 April 2002.
Set Down for Chunk Bair and Lone Pine Services. The loop road is shown on the attached map. Until 11:00, coaches are likely to be able to travel north on Gun Ridge Road, which is unsealed, past the Kemalyeri Memorial. Coaches will continue on to Chunk Bair where they will drop off those passengers who wish to attend this service. The coaches will then continue south along Pine Ridge Road past the 57th Regiment Memorial to Lone Pine where passengers may again disembark. This loop road will be closed from 11:00 to allow the official parties and private Turkish traffic access to the Lone Pine, 57th Regiment and Chunk Bair services. The road will not re-open until 14:30 when the last service has concluded.
Pick Up After the Lone Pine and Chunk Bair Service. Visitors will need to wait until 14:30 when the loop road will re-open to be picked up by their coaches. In this instance, waiting time for departure from the Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park at the completion of the Lone Pine service is expected to be three to four hours. Waiting time for departure at the completion of the Chunk Bair service is expected to be one to two hours. Because of these delays, negotiations with Turkish authorities are in progress to improve services and facilities for the large crowds expected. Visitors will need to be ready to depart Chunk Bair at 14:30 and Lone Pine at 14:40. Passengers are asked to assemble in tour groups if possible and to embark quickly in order to minimize delays for other visitors
CONCLUSION
The ANZAC Landings at Gallipoli helped shape our nation and, even today, this site holds a special place in the minds of most Australians. We hope that this information will enable you to plan and make the most of your visit to this significant historical site. We trust that you will thoroughly enjoy the many wonderful aspects of the unique experience that is Anzac Day at Gallipoli.
