Military History Tours          On Tour - Centenary of Lone Pine 4 August 2015

Our first day of touring was a great experience. A sumptuous breakfast, then down the freeway toward Eceabat. On the road we discussed the reasons for the campaign, then as we passed the waterway, the naval attempt to breach the Dardanelles in early 1914.

Lunch was at Eceabat, then on the road to Chunuk Bair where we used this vantage point to contemplate the campaign in general, and visited the Turkish and New Zealand memorials. The level of campaign knowledge within the group is quite substantial, the discussion lively.

A walk through bushland took us to the ridge before Hill 971. There we took the time to honour Paul Williams’ great uncle Private Sydney Leonard Williams and John Howells great uncle Lance Corporal Maxwell Horwitz, both 15 Bn soldiers killed during the abortive attack by the 4^th Brigade almost a century ago. A poppy from the commemorative Penrith Poppy Park was planted in the bushland, and the ode solemnly recited.

From there we proceeded to the Gaba Tepe Museum; a magnificent structure with innovative exhibits.

Dinner, something rather special was in our hotel. An early night for most to get ready for a great day tomorrow.