Gallipoli 2010

Gallipoli 2010 ; Extracts from the diary of NZCC representative Cadet Warrant Officer(II) Megan Grayson,

It was an incredible honour to have been selected as the NZ Cadet Corps representative that I will treasurer for ever

Gallipoli Peninsula, what a beautiful place, very hard to imagine what our men were thinking 95 years ago when they looked, at what we were looking at. It was truly hard to comprehend that this crystal clear blue water was once stained red with the blood of our men. We were given the full historical tour and taken to the sites of the specific events, it started making it real. The trenches in Chunuk Bair are a stunning sight, young NZ men were killed here, on this very ground, it was so sad.

ANZAC Day was a 2am start with a journey in the dark, to get around the 700 buses that were taking people to this special day. We were on a VIP Bus so that meant we were able to get towards the front, no stopping at red lights or anything. Once in position the dawn was dim in the sky and crowd was very quiet, the Maori blessing, the last post by the bugler were so clear and so real.

The official part started with speeches.During these speeches the sea that had been so calm with no noise at all, then woke up and a set off huge waves which came crashing in, then returned back to calm. It was really eerie. When they spoke of the three airman killed back in New Zealand everyone started to quietly weep, it was very sad.

Breakfast, then on to Lone Pine, the Australian Service and the Turkish International Service. Then to Chunuk Bair the NZ Service which was potent than the other services because it was really about our men. The sun shone down from a clear sky that made the landscape glow, a truly magnificent end to an unforgettable day

It was a long day, ANZAC Day at Gallipoli was physically and emotionally exhausting. But a day I will remember for the rest of my life. That I was able to attend ANZAC Day in Gallipoli to show my respect was just amazing