Guide to contributing Anzac Pilgrims
These journal entries and image captions are exact transcriptions of the original documents. Some passages have been deleted.
All photographs and written material reproduced with permission of photographers/authors.
Date of pilgrimage: 27 August 2001
The experience: The whole day was so emotionally exhausting. Words can't describe the feelings of pride, saddness and awe that you feel for the people who served there especially the Aussies.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 1995
The experience: Spirits were high and friendships were strong. Australians and New Zealanders again bonded in mateship that had been born in adversity and had endured for 80 years.
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Date of pilgrimage: 24-25 April 2001
The experience: This was the dream that every Aussie and Kiwi, and quite a few Turks, had dreamt since childhood. To be at Gallipoli for Anzac Day, and particularly to experience this moment, was something that I don't think you could top really.
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Date of pilgrimage: 1978
The experience: As backpackers in our mid-twenties we made the pilgrimage to Gallipoli for Anzac Day in 1978, long before the current iconic mass pilgrimage was even beginning to emerge.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25th April 2001
The experience: My main purpose of my visit to Turkey was to head to Gallipoli peninsular for ANZAC Day. I've have never in my life felt more proud to be an Australian.
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Date of pilgrimage: 26th April 1990
The experience: The bay is full of naval ships (destroyers etc, all like in battleships!!) as well as a aussie submarine. As it's getting darker, the atmosphere is just getting better & better.
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Date of pilgrimage: 24-25 April 2003
The experience: We found this day really important to both of us. Craig and I have been seeing all these old temples and forts and buildings and churches, learning about all the history of many other countries and for the first time we were learning and understanding about our own.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 2001
The experience: It was awful to be able to put in perspective on what the guys went through. Some of the trenches were only a road width apart.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 2001
The experience: Another guy said he had overheard a man say it was at Gallipolli the closest he'd ever been to his Grandfather another said he'd finally walked the footsteps of his own father.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 2000
The experience: When we finally got there the scene was amazing. There were just so many people. All the estimates I've heard so far range between 12 and 15 *thousand* people, 95% of them under 30, crowding around the new monument.
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Date of pilgrimage: August 1998
The experience: I have so many memories which I can clearly recall about visiting Gallipoli, mostly the senselessness of the whole campaign.
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Date of pilgrimage:24 April 2002
The experience: My thoughts struggled between how beautiful the landscape of Gallipoli is & how much blood shed must of occurred 87 years before.
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 2002
The experience: As I stood shoulder to shoulder in the dark and biting wind with New Zealanders, Turks and fellow Australians, I asked myself why? What made me come halfway around the world to this place?
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Date of pilgrimage: 25 April 2001
The experience: I came home wanting the spread the "Gospel of Gallipoli", there seemed to be something about the place that made you want to do it,.. .
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