2015 marks the Centenary of the ill fated allied invasion of Gallipoli in which almost 600,000 Allies and Turkish soldiers were killed. Included in the British Forces were the men who formed 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. These men were drawn mainly from Bury, Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale, Todmorden and what is today Greater Manchester. It is to the memory of the men of both sides and the recognition of their sacrifice this blog and the Reading The Century events have been facilitated by the Rochdale Co-operative Members Volunteer Group.
Local Area Roll of Honour

In the Landing Craft

We are so close.
Lines of us, heart, hip, shoulder shoulder,
we sit, hunched, nervous.
Ships engine pounds, pulse bounds,
the rhythm binds us, each to the other
we fidget.
Cough, smoke, fart, hope.
Together we watch the track shells arc
together we wait, as one, in the dark.
Together we hear the officer bark
Together.
We push back the fear.
Together we invade Gallipoli.

© Eileen Earnshaw
April 2015
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