The travels and musings of Matt and Heidi
The Saddest, Most Beautiful Cemetery in the World – Chunuk Bair
"I am prepared for death and hope that God will have forgiven me all my sins." Lieutenant Colonel William Malone, New Zealand Soldier, in a letter to his wife shortly before he was killed defending the position his battalion held on the summit of Chunuk Bair.
Between the 7th and 9th August 2015 a mixed group of New Zealand, British, Australian and Indian soldiers made their way towards the high ground of Chunuk Bair. The Allied commanders believed that if their forces could capture the high ground then it would be possible to break through the Turkish lines and head towards the Dardanelles.
"…attacking troops made their way up the steep slopes and through the deep gullies on the approach to the heights. Some units became lost in this wild country and planned assaults were often carried out too late and with inadequate support. The New Zealanders, fighting desperately and sustaining great losses, reached the Chunuk Bair summit and gazed upon the Dardanelles." Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park.
Wellington Infantry Regiment Maori Contingent
On the 10th August Turkish forces led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk launched a counter offensive and regained the summit. It was the last time the ANZACs would view the Dardanelles and, after the failures in August, the British mounted no more major attacks at Gallipoli.
Winter arrived in November bringing frostbite to some 16,000 troops whilst others literally froze at their post. Mounting criticism throughout the Commonwealth eventually led to a decision to withdraw.
"Between 8 and 20 December 1915, 90,000 men were secretly embarked from Suvla and ANZAC. On 8 and 9 January 1916 a similar evacuation was conducted at Helles. Only a handful of casualties were suffered in these well-executed operations." Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park.
Chunuk Bair MIA Memorial
"ANZAC stood, and still stands, for reckless valour in a good cause, for enterprise, resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship, and endurance that will never own defeat." C.E.W Bean, Australian official Historian.
The first ANZAC Day gathering was held on the 25th August 1916 to commemorate the brave soldiers who lived, fought and died at Gallipoli. Nowadays ANZAC Day celebrates all Australians and New Zealanders who have served their country in times of war.
"However, it remains a day that recalls particularly 25 April 1915 when Australians and New Zealanders landed on the shores of Gallipoli, where they founded a lasting tradition of courage, endurance and sacrifice." Gallipoli Peninsula Peace Park.
For me it was a humbling experience to stand in ANZAC footprints.
Published by Matthew Green
I am a successful Business Manager, copywriter and published author. Throughout my career as a senior manager I have provided effective leadership for small businesses, medium-sized companies, international schools and large non-profit associations, in countries with vastly differing political ideologies, socioeconomic backgrounds and religious beliefs. This experience has provided me with a proven ability to develop and implement comprehensive business and strategic plans to ensure long-term financial growth and stability. I am also adept at managing day-to-day operations and human resources, with a focus on building partnerships across all staff levels and external stakeholders. I have a strong track record of planning, budgeting, and implementing new school construction, new technology initiatives, and new marketing and admissions approaches. My formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Management and Legal Studies from the University of Wollongong, which I have supplemented with mindfulness training. My love of creative writing was forged in high school but has accelerated in my adulthood. I spent four years at the TAFE College in Ultimo studying Copy Writing, Copy Editing and Proof Reading, amongst other things. During my free time from furthering my education and raising a family I was an avid songwriter penning the poetry for children's music as well as adult contemporary. Unfortunately my guitar playing ability was somewhat less than average so many of my rhymes lacked the rhythm required for commercial release. In July 2015, I headed to Laos where I volunteered at Vientiane International School. My role was part intern, part teacher of Business Studies to Diploma students and part web developer for the school's new website. A year later I was head-hunted to fill the role of Business Manager at OurPlanet International School in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, where I helped to build an International Baccalaureate primary school. I have published two books, Pine Gap and iDad, which are available on Amazon. My third novel is underway, with an anticipated release later this year. Some of my short stories have been published in magazines and the rest reside on my website https://matthewgreen.com.au/ In business I have written case studies and press releases as well as a monthly newsletter with technical information and marketing spiel. Some of those documents were picked up by industry trade journals and reprinted. You can read more of my business writing at https://beyonddigitalstrategy.com/ I have also done some travel writing during my time working overseas. You can read some of my travel articles here https://wywhblog.com/ I am a member of the Australian Society of Authors and an avid participant in the courses offered by the Australian Writers Centre, and I contacted via email at mattvgreen@gmail.com	View all posts by Matthew Green
Europe, Gallipoli, Turkey
ANZAC, Chunuk Bair, Gallipoli
The Saddest, Most Beautiful Cemetery in the World – The Unknown Soldier
The Saddest, Most Beautiful Cemetery in the World – Turkish Memorial
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Matthew's Futuristic Thriller – Pine Gap
Matthew's Futuristic Thriller - Pine Gap
The Quixotic Adventures of iDad
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