We saw a statue of Kamal Ataturk, your enemy today.
High up on the ridge, that you were fighting to take,
but couldn't, because of the constant barrage
of sniper shots coming from the Turkish soldiers above.
We saw Suvla Bay,
where you were unloaded, like cattle to the slaughter,
with your fellow compatriots,
to fight for England's glory.
We saw the terrain.
Undulating crevices and steep ridges
that you had to negotiate
in attempting to achieve an impossible goal.
We saw the trenches,
sanitized, for eyes of tourists,
horror only visible in the mind's eye
as the guide relates legends of heroism.
We saw many graves today.
Sun kissed, standing to attention in rows,
of lads in their twenties
who gave their lives for the cause.
We shed tears
for these young boys,whose lives
seemed to mean so little to the powers that be,
like pawns in a game of chess.
We didn't see the inclement weather
that caused landslips, choking sleeping men,
or cold, that caused frostbite or death,
or flies, or lice that caused damaging diseases.
We didn't experience hunger, or thirst,
or nowhere to shelter.
We came back to a comfy hotel and had dinner,
with friendly, amiable, witty Turkish people,
ordinary people, who didn't want to fight this war either.
But, we won't forget, we will never forget
the sacrifice you and thousands of others made,
in your efforts to bring about a betterment
for the civilisations of today.
© Glenis Meeks
September 2014
