Battle of Gallipoli Commemoration

(Vatican Radio)  Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey, along with other nations, are preparing to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli, one of the bloodiest battles of World War One.

The Battle began on April 25th, 1915, when allied forces landed in Gallipoli in an attempt to secure the Dardanelles.

Listen to the report by Devin Watkins:

World leaders from Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey are meeting in Gallipoli on Friday to commemorate the more than 140,000 soldiers who died there a century ago.

Allied forces landed on the peninsula in modern-day Turkey – then part of the Ottoman Empire – in an attempt to take the capital of Istanbul and force the German supporting Ottomans out of the war. 

The failed invasion lasted eight months with Allied troops moving no more than a few kilometers from shore while facing snipers and dysentery before finally abandoning the campaign.

Australians remember Saturday, April 25th, as Anzac Day in honor of the 10,000 Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers killed in the offensive. 

Prince Charles and Prince Harry of England will be among the numerous dignitaries attending the services.