"On 25 April 1915 Australian soldiers landed at what is now called Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
For the vast majority of the 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders who landed on that day, it was their first experience of combat. By that evening, 2,000 of them had been killed or wounded." ~ National Museum of Australia The Gallipoli campaign would last until all troops had been evacuated in January 2016, and in that time the "Australian Digger" would be defined. No less than 9 Victoria Crosses awarded throughout the campaign. The VC is awarded for "Gallantry in the face of the enemy, through extreme acts of bravery."
I have always found the Gallipoli Landings fascinating and inspiring. I truly hope that from the mistakes that were made on that day we can learn and move on from the futility of war. Unfortunately I fear we have learnt nothing in the last 108 years, and that man is doomed to being his own undoing.
In a land so far away, where shadows cast their fears,
Brave souls stepped into battle, their courage ringing clear.
A fight against the darkness, for justice they did strive,
Warriors with a purpose, ready to lay it all on the line.
Hear their cries, heroes of the fight,
Through the chaos of war their spirits soaring high,
For honour and for freedom, they reached for the sky.
They marched through the fire and the smoke,
Bound by a sacred duty, their resolve never broke.
Through valleys and through mountains, they pressed on with might,
Fighting for the innocent, to bring an end to the night.
But in the heart of battle, The price was steep,
For every ray of hope, there were tears that ran deep.
Their sacrifices echoed, in the silence of the fallen,
A reminder of the cost that war had stolen.
Yet among the pain and sorrow,
Their courage still shone bright,
Like stars in the darkest night.
History, the legacy forever etched,
Devotion, and duty, a quest that went unmatched.
So let us not forget them, these heroes brave and true,
Their stories live within us, inspiring all we do.
In the fight against injustice, we’ll carry their flame,
And honour their memory, as we strive to end the pain
Heroes of the fight, always remain
Heroes.
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