Anzac day

by | Apr 25, 2007

I came across this quote the other day when I was explaining Anzac Day to neophyte31 Which is sort of hard to explain in a lot of ways – why it’s so an important – more so than Australia Day I personally think…

Anyway – this quote is from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who was the founder of modern Turkey and was an officer at Galipoli – it’s on a memorial at Anzac Cove.

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 Mehmets 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 in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.