- 163 – We headed up the back of the seating area to a couple of tents with a heater that we were lucky to have been provided with! 8.30pm that night saw us opening the entertainment for the night with some tunes from the WWI era. After about 20 mins, we left the stage to cheers and applause, a proud moment for us. Our next set began at 11.30pm, and if it was not for the loud sound system that had been playing all night so far, I would have tip toed down through the sleeping crowd. Obviously the noise was no problem, with thousands of people occupying every inch of grass wrapped up in blankets and sleeping bags with many fast asleep! After our final set, some of us squeezed in a few winks of sleep, and then the time had arrived. Already they were broadcasting ANZAC Dawn services and marches around Australia, and hearing Royal Australian Navy being played by the Sydney Detachment bought a cheer from us! It was getting closer to that time, and the sun was slowly peaking over the Sphinx as the service got under way. There were moving and insightful speeches from both Australian and Turkish representatives. When ABMUSN Andrew Hansch started with the Last Post, the air hung with emotion and a stillness that can only be felt and not described. The call went without a hitch and being apart of that moment makes you feel proud of being Australian. We were lucky enough to ride on the buses up to Lone Pine, and the thousands of people that streamed up the hill on foot was amazing. The Lone Pine service had warmed up quite considerably from the chilly Dawn Service, and it seemed a more intimate affair with a smaller crowd in a smaller place. We sat right next to all those who had come so far to pay homage to those who had bravely fought, so it felt we were more apart of the service than just providing musical support. After the services for the day we headed back down the hill for the last time to attend a “BBQ”. It was not the conventional steak and sausages that I know some were pining for, but it was a plethora of Turkish cuisine that bought nothing but compliments for those who had prepared it. ANZAC Day in Gallipoli is a trip that I will never forget, and feel very lucky to have been apart of. It is an experience that I can only try to explain, but can not give full justice to the feelings I had of standing on the beach, or getting goose bumps at the sight of opposing trenches not more than a single road’s width apart, or shivering on that early ANZAC Day morning. If one ever has the chance to go over, I would say it is a most worthwhile and memorable trip to embark on.
ON THE BUGLE IN ANZAC COVE Article by Able Seaman Andrew Hansch Instead of harping on about the whole two weeks of my Gallipoli experience, I would like to share with you my thoughts and feelings of the day before, and the day of Anzac Day 2007. April 24th, 5am. Today we would be embarking on the ferry from Çanakkale and head across the Dardanelles to the Gallipoli Peninsula. The morning was fresh and still, and what we were about to experience really started to sink in as the first cracks of sun appeared from over the mountains. You could not help but think of the diggers those 92 years prior, how they must have felt and what awaited them the next morning. We made our way south through the peninsula to the Turkish International Service at Mehmetcik Abide. The respect, honour and pride shown by all countries but especially the Turkish was really something else. My eyes were truly opened at this service and to be drawn into a plethora of emotions wasn't hard at all. The service lasted for an hour after which we made our way to the Commonwealth Memorial Service at Cape Helles. Chief Stapleton had drawn the short straw for bugle jobs here, plus there was a Bottle of thank you already organized from the British, "funny how that turned out Chief". He was a little bit nervous, and with good cause too. This was a massive memorial with plenty of hierarchy there but as always, Chief delivered the bugle call with professionalism and did both himself and us all very proud.
Royal Australian Navy Band: A Musical Voyage
