During my pilgrimage, I have come to the realisation that our knowledge is much like a puzzle.
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Every piece fits perfectly together to create a bigger and more descriptive picture to aid our understanding of Anzac.
Throughout this journey I have been able to develop a broader perspective, including that of the Turkish people.
This pilgrimage has taken our research on paper and made it real.
As we’ve followed in their footsteps, we’ve gained a small insight into the lives of the soldiers we seek to honour.
The Gallipoli peninsula is surprisingly beautiful.
The cemeteries are peaceful and the blossoms are in full bloom at this time of year.
The sounds of birds chirping amid the silence makes it hard to imagine this place as a bloody battlefield.
I have appreciated learning more of the Turkish perspective during our Anzac tour.
Like us, they suffered significant losses and now place a strong emphasis on the value of a life.
They were led by a man they called Mustafa Kemal, who later received the honorific title
Ataturk, which means father of the Turks.
It is from him they get their forgiving and compassionate culture.
And it was he who famously consoled the mothers of his fallen enemy by declaring that all who died here would be forever cherished as martyrs.
In this spirit, 100 years on, Turkey continues to open its arms and welcome Australians so that together we may remember our fallen countrymen.
Lest we forget.
