As I think back and reflect on last year’s visit to Gallipoli after watching the Territorial Youth Band of New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Service (which is available to view here) – I am reminded of the post (Footsteps of Paul ~ Day 7) that I did showing a beautiful scene across the bay towards Plugge’s Hill at ANZAC Cove.
Today ANZAC Cove is an idyllic spot, with birds gleefully singing on the breeze, and it is quite serene as the waves gently crash upon the shore in the heat of the Mediterranean sun.
A far cry from what greeted thousands of soldiers on the dark morning of April 25 1915 as they disembarked their barges, only to be met by an onslaught of enemy fire.
Thousands tragically lost their lives, and today we commemorate them – We Will Remember Them!
This contrasting picture is from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. It is a hand-coloured glass slide showing men swimming in or lying beside those same waters at ANZAC Cove, beneath Plugge’s Hill (in background).
No doubt this was on one of the rare days in which the bullets weren’t raining down overhead. We are told through many accounts from that time, that every so often both sides would stop firing on each other so that they could retrieve and bury their dead and have a bit of a breather, before taking up arms and starting all over again the next day.
As Captain Daniel Buckingham asked this morning in his powerful message; Why would we want to remember the atrocities of war?
Hopefully so that we can learn from our History and not make the same mistakes again. That we would learn to get along and not harbour any grudges against those that have differing opinions to us. That we would learn to show love and kindness to those around us. That we would be the peacemakers.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9 (New International Version)
If you missed the service this morning you can view it here. Or copy and paste the following address into your browser: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=229608121587534&ref=watch_permalink
The life and times of Perry... 