By Nicole Precel
AS Emmanuel College students followed the footsteps of Anzac soldiers, they gained a greater understanding of their sacrifices.
Anthony Oates, 16, went on a two-week cultural trip to Turkey with 16 other Emmanuel College students from Years 10, 11 and 12.
“I believe it’s good for every Australian to make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli,” he said.
Each student researched a soldier who fought in Gallipoli and tracked down his final resting place.
“I decided to do an average type of person and it made it more of an intimate experience, you could point to a grave and say that’s the person I researched,” he said.
“I found it pretty humbling with how much the Turks care for the relationship we have, they’ve made a national park out of Gallipoli.”
Justin Lemmon, 16, was able to find a picture taken a day after his soldier was buried.
“It was good because you could compare it, it’s amazing to see it’s all in the same place,” he said.
“I think for the heritage too, because it’s where you’ve come from, where Australia has come from.”
The students arrived in Istanbul on 28 March where they visited the Grand Bazaar, then to Gallipoli, including Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery.
Then they travelled to Canakkale, Troy, Pergamum, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Cappadocia and finally Ankara.
Anthony said it was interesting to see how different Melbourne was from Istanbul.
He thought it was particularly interesting to hear prayers echoed over the loudspeaker throughout the city.
“It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up,” he said.
“It just caught your attention.”
Co-ordinator Scott Harris said he was hoping the program would continue for the next few years depending on interest and permission.
