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Battlefields marked in sombre Gallipoli ceremonies

Author
Michael Sergel ,
Publish Date
Sun, 26 Apr 2015, 6:06AM
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Battlefields marked in sombre Gallipoli ceremonies

Author
Michael Sergel ,
Publish Date
Sun, 26 Apr 2015, 6:06AM

Australian prime minister Tony Abbott has honoured Anzac soldiers buried without graves on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

He joined Prince Charles and Prince Harry at the Lone Pine service remembering nearly 5,000 Anzac soldiers buried in unmarked graves and many more who died at sea.

Mr Abbott says their legacy lives on and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

"On the headstones here, on the graves with no name, it is taken from scripture, their seed shall remain forever, their glory shall not be blotted out."

Tony Abbott said it was hard to imagine so much loss for what seemed like so little in the Gallipoli campaign.

"Yet it was not for nothing," he says.

"It was for country, empire, King, and the ideal that people and countries should be free - the virtues that outshine any cause."

The head of Australia's defence force paid tribute to Australians who died on the battlefield at Lone Pine.

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin says ordinary people went to the battleground and never returned.

"We honour them, and the actions that inspired the Anzac spirit."

He said the Anzac spirit was about "unconditional loyalty to mateship, endurance in hardship, courage even in the face of certain death and sacrifice in the name of service."

There was a unique Kiwi theme to New Zealand's Anzac memorial service at Chunuk Bair overnight.

Twenty-five youth ambassadors performed classic New Zealand songs, before the arrival of Charles the Prince of Wales, Prince Harry and John Key.

Reporter Anna Leask says for many people, it felt like a taste of home halfway across the world.

"It was a best less formal than the dawn service, it had a bit of a Kiwi flavour to it, and that made it feel like home for a lot of people."

The true test of this year's Anzac centenary may be in the turn-out at Anzac Day events in years to come.

Two-thousand New Zealanders won ballots to attend yesterday's dawn service and last night's memorial service.

Anna Leask spoke to many people who had a renewed understanding of the sacrifice of Anzac troops.

Chunuk Bair service

Members of the royal family were among the guests of honour at New Zealand's Anzac Centenary memorial service at Chunuk Bair.

Charles the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry have met Prime Minister John Key, his wife Bronagh, and youth ambassadors from across New Zealand.

Prince Charles laid a wreath at the memorial with New Zealand RSA president Barry Clarke.

Prince Harry delivered a reading at the service.

Prime minister John Key spoke about the battle that took place there a hundred years ago.

"For New Zealanders, no where in Gallipoli is more special than here on Chunuk Bair," he said.

"It was not the scene of a great triumph, but it was the closest the Allied forces came to making a breakthrough in the whole Gallipoli campaign.

"It was lead by a few Kiwis ten thousand miles from home."

Volkan Bozkir laid a wreath for Turkey, and Australian prime minister Tony Abbott laid a wreath on behalf of Australia.

Ireland, Bangladesh, Canada, France and Germany also laid wreaths.

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