the first authentic hotel on the Gallipoli peninsula
CHUNUK BAIR CEMETERY
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IF STONES COULD SPEAK - ANZAC
... just north of the Chunuk summit, we came upon many traces of British soldiers. I noted them as Gloucester's. Clearly they reached here in the dawn of August 8th, beside the New Zealanders, but being completely open to fire from Q
Last updated : 01/02/08
and 971, were shot down or driven
off. Slightly to the southern side of the
summit we began to find signs of the New
Zealanders. A few had been buried by the Turks in the hard, stony ground
of the crest; and, just below the road that skirted the Turkish side of the
ridge-top, was (as my diary says) a "Cemetery of them", row after row. All
the bones in the first three rows had been dug up -by the villagers or whoever
it was- contained our men and Turks, both."
"Gallipoli Mission", (Crows Nest 1990), Charles E.W. Bean, p. 228-229.
Most Gurkhas at the beginning of the 20th century where listed as Religion – Hindu, however, in reality many were Buddhist. At Gallipoli there was a lot of give and take on burial rites and also
"Burial Party in 1918 cremating the remains of Gurkha soldiers killed on Gallipoli in 1915", period picture reproduced from "Gallipoli 1915”, (Sydney 2002), Richard Reid, p. 105
the
circumstances. When and where possible death rites would have been in accordance
with the wishes of friends and villagers who would have know if the individual
was Hindu practicing, Buddhist or animist. Hindus are buried when circumstances
are not available to burn.
Information provided by Gerald Davies, curator of
the Gurkha Museum
"A young Gurkha rifleman displays his razor-edged fighting knife, known as a kukhri", picture reproduced from “Gallipoli Illustrated”, (Blair Athol 1981), Kit Denton, p. 87
The Cemetery was made after the Armistice on the site
where the Turks buried the allied dead of 6-8 August. ...
... Lying on the forward slope of Chunuk Bair, these are the only Allied men who
rest overlooking the unattainable prize of the Narrows, clearly visible beyond
the cemetery.
"Gallipoli Battlefield Guide", (Barnsley 2000),
Tonie & Valmai Holt.