The following poem was sent recently to the Australian Head of Defence to the UK, Brigadier Bill Sowry, who suggested it might be an interesting item for our G&DI facebook page readers:
APRIL 1915—JAN 1916
T Turks resisting hard, day after day,
H Hopeless killing, so savage, held sway,
E to Evacuate, the only way.
G Allied forces had Grouped to advance:
A Australasia, Britain and France.
L our Logistics fast crumbled like sand,
L in that hostile, well-fortified Land.
I is for Istanbul. city of rapture;
P the Peninsula we tried to capture,
O Suez Orbit thereby to protect,
L (this canal was our Lifeline direct);
I Ian Hamilton — plan’s architect.
C His successor was Sir Charles Munro;
A Kemal Atatürk led the fierce foe.
M Months went by, with such terrible losses
P but Pride, too — nine Victoria Crosses.
A Anzac Day: so momentous a date,
I Boys all Innocent, facing their fate.
G was their Grim resolve, midst trials & fears
N Nerves of steel amongst blood, sweat & tears.
