From the MTG: Gallipoli was ‘mission impossible’

The Flanders Remembrance Poppy was thought of and coined by Madame Anna Guerin of France, writes Te Hira Henderson. For Travel - April 21

OPINION

Australia and New Zealand as part of the British Empire were, in the period of WWI, in bed with the French and Russian empires. This formed an alliance called the Entrente Powers, to the rest of us simply the Allies. There was an opposing alliance led by Germany, with Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian and Ottoman empires. This was called the Central Alliance.

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day is a commemoration of a disastrous April 25, 1915 landing onto Turkish soil at Gallipoli, by these combined Anzacs-to-be, under British command. A mission impossible.

Commander of operation and of British forces, including Anzacs and the French, was General Ian Hamilton. Commander of the Anzacs — 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders — was Lieutenant-General William Birdwood.

In Turkey, the locals under Mastafa Kemal defended their families to the death. Albeit successful, more than 87,000 local Ottoman soldiers died fighting inside their homes, protecting against outside intruders.

By the time the Allies comprehended their own defeat, more than 130,000 men had died from both sides. At least 8700 Australians and 2779 Kiwis died. The Allies aborted Gallipoli, evacuating in January 1916. From this failed campaign by the Allies, a new, combined nationalism of Australia and New Zealand was birthed, to be known as the Anzacs.

This failure cost Winston Churchill his position. His high-handed attack on Turkey underestimated the Ottomans. It was ill-executed on the ground, with troops landing in the wrong location and confusion rife. It was a campaign destined to fail. It haunted Churchill until his death.

The poppy we wear on Anzac Pay is the Papaver rhoeas. It grew wild as a weed in fields torn up by shells. When the earth was ripped apart by bombs, it exposed the seeds to light and so caused germination. These are the wildflowers that grew on the battlefields amongst the many fallen in WWI. The Papaver thoeas is also known as the Flanders poppy.

The Flanders Remembrance Poppy was thought of and coined by Madame Anna Guerin of France. Founding a charity to help after WWI, she raised funds by making these poppies from fabric in remembrance. This inspired the poem In Flanders Field by John McCrae.

Flanders Field is in Waregem, Belgium. It is the only ABMC (American Battle Monuments Commission) WWI cemetery in Belgium. An ABMC cemetery is an alternative to repatriation of American war dead. It is a permanent military cemetery created by the US War Department.

All gone these soldiers of WWI to the long night, and now passing from the world of light are our soldiers of WWII. To all military personnel since 1918 and 1946 to the present day who have carried those Anzacs gone on your shoulders, he mihi atu.

Kia koutou Nga Hoia Anzac. He mihi tangi he mihi aroha kia koutou kua tae po i te moumou tangata. Ko koutou ra e moe te moenga roa, ara ko koutou te hunga mate ki te hunga mate, te hunga ora ki te hunga ora. Tihewa mauriora!

Following Anzac Day, on Sunday, April 30, three WWII movies will be screened at MTG Hawke’s Bay. In the Century Theatre at 2pm is Spitfire, the story of a fighter plane and the pilots who helped win the Battle of Britain. At 4pm is Labyrinth of Lies, a story that exposes the conspiracy of prominent German institutions and government branches to cover up the crimes of Nazis during WWII. At 6.30pm is Persian Lessons, about a young Jewish man who pretends to be Iranian to avoid being executed in a concentration camp.

– Te Hira Henderson is curator of Māori at MTG Hawke’s Bay