Anzac Day is
an important day in the New Zealand calendar as people look back on the New
Zealanders killed in war and specifically at Gallipoli. The 25th April
is the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers on the
Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. This was situated in what is now Turkey. For eight months, troops from New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain,
Ireland, France, India, and Newfoundland fought battles in harsh conditions in
an attempt to protect their homeland.
The troops were evacuated from the area
in December 1915.
By the time the campaign ended, more than 130,000 men had died. Among
the dead were 2779 New Zealanders, about a sixth of all those who had landed on
the peninsula. Anzac Day is a
solemn reminder of the loss of these men – and also of their bravery, doggedness,
practicality, resourcefulness, and loyalty.
Te Papa Museum in Wellington is currently
running an exhibition by the name of Gallipoli: The Scale of our War. The
highlight of this must be the giant sculptures – 2.4 times larger than human
size. These took 24,000 hours to create and the detail is incredibly lifelike.
The accompanying displays bring home the extreme hardship these soldiers lived
through and highlight the stories of eight New Zealanders. It is an excellent
exhibition and well worth a visit. Admission is free and it is open between
10am and 6pm daily.
