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Tēnā koutou ōku Rangatira kua hinga
E ngā tamaiti, ngā tuakana, ngā teina.
E ngā mātua pāpā, ngā mātua tipuna
Ānei, tētahi o koutou tamāhine, e mihi atu
Tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou. Tēnā koutou ōku Rangatira
Greetings to my Chiefs who have fallen
The sons, the older brothers, the younger brothers.
The parent fathers, the grandfathers
Here, one of your daughters, now greets you.
Greetings. Greetings. Thrice greetings to you my Chiefs.
Today we commemorate the landing of New Zealand and Australian troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula 89 years ago, on 25 April 1915.
Earlier this morning, at dawn, we gathered on the beach where the ANZACs came ashore, to pay tribute to those who served during the Gallipoli campaign and in subsequent wars. Here, on top of this hill that we call Chunuk Bair, the highest point at which the battle was fought, we also honour their memory.
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1915 numbered 8,427 men. It was the largest single fighting force ever to have left New Zealand. Drawn from across a fledgling nation, they did not know that ahead was a nightmare of errors, unparalleled bravery, and the foundation spirit for the independent nations that are New Zealand and Australia.
These men went first to Egypt, in December 1914. They spent weeks training in the desert, on flat or undulating sands, very different to the rugged land of this Gallipoli Peninsula. They were called the “Fernleafs” - a symbol of the New Zealand forest. The term “Kiwi” had not yet been coined.
The original Allied intention had been to steam through the Dardanelles by sea, reach Istanbul, the heart of the Ottoman Government, and bring relief to Russia. But this plan was abandoned after the failure of the naval assault of 18 March 1915, when Allied ships were sunk by Turkish mines guarding the narrow sea entrance. The Allies realised that they would have to put together a land force.
An initial force of 30,000 troops - New Zealanders, Australians and British - was dispatched to Gallipoli, followed by reinforcements including soldiers from other Allied nations who are also represented here today. The plan was to land on the Peninsula at dawn, push through to the Turkish forts, and overrun them.
Reality was harsh. The ANZACs were confronted by a narrow beach with high ridges leading onto very difficult terrain - land which bore no resemblance to the markings on their maps. Sir Ian Hamilton, the British Commander of the invasion force, said on seeing the Gallipoli Peninsula for the first time - “it looks a harder nut to crack than it did on Lord Kitchener’s small and featureless map” back in his office.
It was tougher - the land was hard and rugged, with ravines and hills and tiny beaches cut off from one another.
Despite some initial progress, the ANZACs soon found themselves pinned down under heavy fire from the defending Turkish soldiers. Within just two days there were 600 casualties among the initial echelon of 3,100 New Zealand troops.
Trench warfare and hard physical combat followed. The ANZACs, like the other Allied forces and the Turkish defenders, showed doggedness, resilience and courage.
The ANZACs entrenched on the beaches and low lands. The Turkish forces dug in on the dominating heights. Gallipoli was to become a drawn-out replay of the trench warfare on the western front. For eight months, the stalemate continued, broken only by the courageous but ultimately fruitless charges out of the trenches.
One such charge took place here, at Chunuk Bair, on 8 August 1915. Led by Colonel William Malone, the New Zealand soldiers stormed the heights of this summit where we are assembled today. They would have glimpsed the ultimate objective, the straits of the Dardanelles down below. For three days, under fire and running short of water, the New Zealanders clung to this strategic position, which offered the possibility of an advance to the Dardanelles. Of the 800 Wellington soldiers who formed the main body of the troops involved, 730 were killed or wounded. But ultimately, determined and courageous Turkish forces recaptured the summit and the Allied campaign lost momentum from there on.
While there were many unsung heroes among the Kiwis, only one was awarded a Victoria Cross. Cyril Bassett, a signaller, kept the lines of communications open under intense enemy fire. Historian Christopher Pugsley records that, to the end of his life, this shy man tried to keep his Victoria Cross a secret, even to his children. He said: “All my mates ever got were wooden crosses”.
In December 1915, eight months after landing, the long ordeal ended. The ANZACs were evacuated. Of the nearly 12,000 New Zealanders who had served on Gallipoli, 2,721 died in active service and 4,752 were wounded - a terrible price for a small country to pay.
Our Australian mates, and the other Allied forces suffered terribly as well. The losses on the Turkish side were also horrifically high. But, perhaps surprisingly - perhaps because of this shared tragedy - there was born affinity and respect on both sides. Mutual respect, reconciliation and friendship underpin the relationships we enjoy today. All of us who are visiting this country will return home with warm memories of the friendship, and the warmth of the welcome, of the Turkish people and we thank you for this.
As we recall the Kiwis who served in Gallipoli, in a very real sense we can feel that Chunuk Bair is part of our shared heritage today. The New Zealand and Australian forces wrote the ANZAC legend, and in the process they wrote the opening pages of a new national consciousness in New Zealand. ANZAC Day is as important in New Zealand today, for the young generation, as it was for their great grandfathers.
This serenity of the landscape here at Gallipoli belies the tragedy that took place so long ago. We should treasure its tranquillity as we reflect on what was, and on what is now.
It is our legacy and our responsibility, as citizens of today, to ensure that the sacrifice of all those who have gone before us was not in vain.
