Dawn service held in Turkey to mark Gallipoli landings

CANAKKALE, TURKEY - APRIL 25: Over 1,000 visitors from Australia and New Zealand attended a dawn service in Turkey’s western Canakkale province Wednesday to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of the landing of foreign troops on Turkish soil during World War I. Nearly 1,300 Australians and New Zealanders made the trip to the former battlefields overlooking the Dardanelles Strait for the annual sunrise commemoration of the start of the eight-month campaign.Participants stayed out overnight at the commemoration site in sleeping bags and blankets in cold weather, waiting for the service to start as they watched documentaries and interviews on the World War I Canakkale battle.Patsy Reddy, governor-general of New Zealand, British Minister for Europe and the Americas Alan Duncan, Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton , U.K. envoy to Turkey Dominick Chilcott, France’s defence wing Colonel Valery Sens, Canakkale deputy governor Turan Yilmaz and large number of domestic and foreign officials also attended the ceremony.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the Australian participant Andrew Dalton said that he came to Canakkale for the first time.The 55-year old psychologist said that he is pleased to be at the dawn ceremony to commemorate his ancestors."It is a wonderful place here, I would like to thank Turkey for letting us experience this. As Australia, New Zealand and Turkey we are all here together," he said.The 20-year old Tia Peterson for her part said that she was researching on Gallipoli in Australia for many years."I am here for the first time, it is very impressive,” she said.The ceremony started at 5.30 a.m. (0230GMT) and lasted one hour. (Footage by Volkan Bayraktar/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)