ABU DHABI // One hundred years on, Australians and New Zealanders living in the UAE gathered on Saturday morning to mark the Anzac landing at Gallipoli.
Before the break of dawn, hundreds congregated at the capital’s Fairmont Bab Al Bahr to mark the thousands of lives lost in the failed assault.
Among those present were members of the Australian and New Zealand defense forces, diplomats and military representatives, as well as a large number of Australian and New Zealand expatriates.
Australia’s ambassador to the UAE, Pablo Kang, and New Zealand’s ambassador to the UAE, Jeremy Clarke-Watson, held the service commemorating the anniversary of the ill-fated WWI campaign, in which roughly 11,000 Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) soldiers perished.
The UAE ambassador of Turkey, Levent Bilgin, and military representatives from Turkey, Canada, France, India and the UK, were also present.
For one Australian expatriate, there was no question of whether or not he would attend the morning service.
“It’s a very significant event for all Australians. My dad was also in the navy and served in the Vietnam War, and my brother was in the navy as well,” said Matt Holzl, who served as a lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy for 12 years.
“It’s important that everyone in Australia remembers it. Anzac Day is pretty much our national day, even if we have Australia Day. It’s probably a more significant event than national day.”
Mr Holzl, who has lived in the UAE for 11 years, said it was good to see younger generations at the service, which began at 5am.
“It’s also important that we Australians teach our young children about why we’re here and what it’s all about and carry on the tradition,” he said.
The Anzacs formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli against the Germans, Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire.
During the campaign, 43,000 British, 15,000 French, 8,700 Australians, 2,700 New Zealanders and 1,370 Indian soldiers were killed.
According to ambassador Kang, the campaign was a “military failure for the British Empire”.
“Six-hundred-and-twenty Australians, perhaps roughly the same number as those of us gathered here this morning, were to die on this day, 100 years ago,” he said.
“It was a human tragedy that had lasting ramifications on the development of two young nations, Australia and New Zealand.
“But it heralded something intangible, something almost sacred, and something which has brought all of us together in the semi-darkness, in many other dawn services taking place today around the world.”
Hundreds of thousands turned out in Australia and New Zealand to mark the centenary of the landings.
“Today, we honour the memory, the sacrifice, the legacy, and also remind ourselves of our current mission in a country not far from here. Lest we forget,” ambassador Kang said.
For ambassador Clarke-Watson, Australians and New Zealanders commemorate “no military triumph but the more humbling triumph of human courage”.
“In both of our countries Anzac Day has become the day on which members of the public, especially our young people, turn out in their thousands to commemorate those whose sacrifice has delivered the freedoms we now take for granted, to show respect for all those who have given service on behalf of their country, and to celebrate a spirit that underpins our respective senses of nationhood,” he said.
There are about 16,000 Australians and 5,000 New Zealanders living in the UAE.
“It’s absolutely amazing seeing the turnout of people this morning, and there’s another enormous service taking place right now in Dubai,” said ambassador Clarke-Watson, after the hour-long service.
“It’s a day that really means something across the world for Australians and New Zealanders. It’s a great time and a wonderful way to start the day.”
As time goes on, interest in the dawn service continues to grow, said ambassador Kang.
“Even though, over time, there aren’t any soldiers alive anymore, and those who first landed at Gallipoli have passed away, the tradition and the heritage continues to be upheld,” he said.
rruiz@thenational.ae