The Simpson Prize Tour of 2010 has been an incredibly moving and growing experience, in which I have expanded substantially, my understanding of the Anzac spirit. The Dawn Service at Anzac Cove and the Australian Service at Lone Pine definitely were the highlight, with the silent respect paid to the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice still clearly present several generations on.
Of the Dawn Service, I found the most moving section to be the sound and light presentation of the Gallipoli symphony. The combination of music to the pre-dawn lighting on the water and land, created a scene so reminiscent and similar to that of the 1915 landing, that I realised how little the landscape has changed, over the last 95 years, and how parallel the scene that we saw was, in comparison to the landing. Additionally, the emotional impact was very large, being present with thousands of other Australians and New Zealanders, who were there with the common interest to acknowledge previous generations sacrifices, and to salute them with pride.
When presenting Edward Lewis Maynard, I found that because of my research I felt connected with his individual story. I was not only acknowledging the contribution of a generation, but one individual’s personal sacrifice. Personally, my journey of discovery had enabled me to gain a greater individual connection with the Anzac spirit and legend. This feeling could not be conveyed as much through the mass commemoration services, as it was a more personal experience. For me, my commemoration of Edward Maynard was personal and distinct.
Having the opportunity to tell other people about Edward Maynard’s service as an Aboriginal digger was a very worthwhile experience. I was able to tell his story to the other members of the Simpson 2010 group, and surprisingly to other Australians at Lone Pine when I was interviewed by Warren Brown, the compere for the pre-service activities. In addition, for me, it was very fitting and poignant that the last song the Naval Band played at the Lone Pine Service was ‘I am Australian’; a verse of which I presented as a key component of my commemoration of Edward Maynard. As I went to pay my last respects to Edward Maynard, I was pleased and proud to see a select few Australians looking at his name on the wall, because I had mentioned him, to them, before the Lone Pine Service.
Not only was the commemoration of Australian and New Zealand soldiers a major experience for me, but also the acknowledgement of our soldier brothers, the Turks. I found that the laying of the wreath of carnations at the Turkish 57th Regiment memorial, with our Turkish bus driver, Ondur, was a very respectful experience, and appropriate. It was important to not only understand our own involvement, but also to respect the enemy who has become our friend.
I found the experience with Turkish culture a very interesting one. It was eye opening to see the different way of life that the Turkish people had, especially in Istanbul, with the everyday rush of life. The Turkish people were very welcoming, pleased to introduce themselves and keen to try out their English skills with us. Additionally, the Turkish spices were excellent, and, because I brought so many home, my house will always have their aroma!
My huge thanks to my fellow students who made this trip so worthwhile; to Alice, to Alix, to Dale, to Maisie, to Sarah, to Sophie and to Will for the fantastic friendships created, and the wonderful experiences enjoyed together. And, to Eser, to Sharee and to Jackie, thank you for making our trip safe and educational, and ultimately, to Andrew, my appreciation for bringing us all together, and ensuring our entire trip was so successful!
Yavas ol!
Well done everybody on some pertinent and poignant reflective comments. I’ve just checked and managed to put my last post on the ‘welcome’ comments a week or so ago due to my somewhat limited IT skills. Cheers Jackie