The city of Çanakkale lies by Dardanelles Strait that links Sea of Marmara with the Aegian Sea.  The city was formerly called Kale – i Sultan. It took this name from a castle built by Ottomans in 1454 to control the passage of the ships. The great Ottoman naval coomander  ‘’Piri Reis’’ was born in Gelibolu.

During the First World War, the Dardanelles-or Gallipoli-campaign (conceived by W.Churchill) was the Franco-British fleet’s abortive attempt to force the strait. Nine months of fighting brought the British force death and disease but no more than a sight of Gallipoli. The 19th Division of the Turkish army, commanded by Mustafa Kemal, was charged with breaking their attacks. Thousands of soldiers from both sides lost their lives in this campaign.

Both on the Gelibolu Memorial in Turkey and on the Atatürk Memorial overlooking Tarakina Bay in Wellington, New Zeland, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s words are inscribed:

‘’To those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soils of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us; they lie side by side in this country of ours. To you, mothers who sent your sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they became our sons as well’’

Today, Gelibolu peninsula is a home to a national park featuring war memorials and cemeteries belonging to Turks, Australians, New Zealanders, British and French. Every April, 25, war veterans from both sides and their descendents meet here to commemorate the Gallipoli Campaign.