Julie's blog
My Other Life
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Remembering the heroes of Gallipoli
Posted at 4:48 pm , on April 25, 2015
I had the honour recently, in my capacity as Contributing Editor for Cruise International magazine, to go to Gallipoli for the Centenary commemoration of Anzac Day – here is my report.
Julie Peasgood reports from Saga Sapphire in Anzac Cove as tribute is paid to the thousands who lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign 100 years ago.
As the early morning darkness envelops the once bloodied battlefields of Gallipoli, the only sound is the gentle lapping of waves.
Then the uniquely Antipodean hum of a single didgeridoo, heralding the beginning of the centenary commemoration for thousands of allied troops who lost their lives on the shores of the Dardanelles.
Julie Peasgood with British war veteran William Adams (Shropshire Regiment)
It is 4.30am and our ship, Saga Sapphire, is bordering Anzac Cove, where Australians and New Zealanders – alongside their British counterparts – have arrived in unprecedented numbers to pay homage to their courageous ancestors, many of whom never lived beyond their teens.
On 25 April 1915, at precisely this time, the first troops landed and the ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) legend was born.
“That was the day our nation came alive,” says 81 year-old Bruce Atherton, a long time serving warrant officer in the Australian army, proudly displaying his own array of hard-won medals. “Gallipoli was the first major conflict in which we fought, and it forged our national identity.”
Passengers gather on deck to remember the sacrifice of 46,000 Commonwealth soldiers who perished here.
The emotion is palpable as a roll call of the men who died is played out, together with messages from loved ones.
“Sleep on, dear son, and take thy rest, they miss you most who loved you best.” And, quite simply: “Our Sid.”
Heads of state from around the world have come together for this momentous event. Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbot, speaks of ordinary men doing extraordinary things.
“In volunteering to serve they became the founding heroes of modern Australia.”
John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, salutes the bravery of both the allied troops and the Ottoman Turkish soldiers. “Both sides were doing what they believed was right and what they believed was necessary.”
“Gallipoli symbolizes too the pity of war, because while this was a place of courage and heroism and duty, it was also a place of fear and waste and loss. It was a place of unspeakable suffering on both sides of the fighting.”
“The generosity of Turkey in welcoming us back year after year means that Gallipoli also symbolizes the healing power of time, forgiveness and diplomacy.”
Dawn light filters through a cobalt sky as Prince Charles, accompanied today by his son Prince Harry, delivers a moving reading of one soldier’s last letter to his beloved wife. It is written with a devastating simplicity that reduces both men and women around us to silent tears.
Wreaths are laid to the strains of a single bagpipe. We all stand for the final blessing, including the new generations of Australians and New Zealanders who have travelled here to honour the fallen. The ceremony concludes with the singing of the Turkish, Australian and New Zealand National Anthems.
One voice in our midst rises above all the rest in its purity, as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa joins her compatriots in singing their country’s national song. Like all of us she is here to commemorate one of the most significant days in history.
The traditional drink of rum and milk is served on Saga Sapphire at the close of the ceremony, served with ANZAC biscuits, and passengers begin to speak of their own reasons for being here.
“This is my father’s dog tag,” says Graham Douglas Moore, who has travelled from Australia with his wife, Alexandra. They are here to honour the bravery of Graham’s dad who fought in the 25th Battalion C Company. “My father survived the campaign – that’s why I wear his identification tag as my lucky charm – but so many thousands didn’t make it.”
“Too many mistakes were made,” says Andi Von Zeppelin of Australian based Zeppelin Travel, who has brought 71 passengers all making their pilgrimage to these shores. “On the morning of the landings, one hundred years ago to the day, several boats which were destined for different beaches were rammed together by strong currents and heavy mist, causing huge numbers of casualties. Those that did make it onto the narrow beaches were gunned down by the Turks as they tried to scale the cliffs. The whole bay was red with blood.”
Terry O’Connor agrees. As Chairman of the Royal British Legion in his village of Liss in Hampshire, he is here to represent the five villagers who were killed at Gallipoli, ranging in ages from 16 to 38. “Two thirds of soldiers who died here have no known graves – they were either lost at sea or their bodies were not identified.”
Terry has come to lay a wreath at the Helles Memorial, in a service conducted by Canon Richard Hanmer, who also leads the special service on board Saga Sapphire. It is poignant and respectful in honouring the vast numbers who gave their lives for others. “It is important to remember this war was not in vain” adds Terry. “Although the campaign was a failure, the men went with a glad heart because they felt they were doing right.”
The Turkish representative at today’s memorial spoke some of the following words from the Kemal Atatürk Memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra.
If anything positive can come from the devastation of this war it is expressed in the words of the Turkish leader, the man who became known as Atatürk: “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us, where they lie side by side here in this country of ours…You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are at peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”
Additional reporting by Karen Attenborough
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Panto – and Digs with a Difference
Posted at 10:20 am , on January 12, 2015
This December I did Panto in my home town of Grimsby, playing the Queen of Merrydale in Jack and the Beanstalk. Last year I was the Good Fairy in Sleeping Beauty and I enjoyed it so much I was keen to return. As you can see from the attached photo, the character was a tiny bit bonkers – and I loved playing her!
I stayed in a Bailey caravan on the excellent Hunger Hill site (a couple of miles from the Grimsby Auditorium) and I found I loved that too. If you’re interested in knowing more, my ‘Caravan Capers’ blog can be found on the Caravan Club website http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/your-stories/Julie-Peasgood/Day-Three/rb/1029511/
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St. Andrew’s Hospice
Posted at 10:14 am , on January 12, 2015
For many years I have been a supporter of St Andrew’s Hospice in Grimsby. It is the only round-the-clock facility for adults and children with life-limiting illnesses from Northern Lincolnshire, Hull and the East Riding, providing free care for anyone with such an illness, whatever their diagnosis. The aim is to make each day count, and I was very grateful to St. Andrew’s for the kindness and care they gave my mum and dad, Pearl and Syd, in their final months and days.
My daughter Kate and I appeared on ‘Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ to raise money for the hospice, and we managed to win £16,000 – not bad, though I still wish we’d been able to win the million for them!
A new hospice is now being built (the biggest project since the charity was established about 30 years ago) to increase patient capacity and create a health and wellbeing centre. To support St Andrew’s – or to learn more about the invaluable work that they do – please visit www.standrewshospice.com
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The Clink
Posted at 8:38 am , on October 17, 2014
I am extremely proud to be sustainability ambassador for The Clink Restaurant at HMP High Down. I first visited The Clink in March 2012, and in May that year I was asked to present them with the Footprint Award for Corporate, Social and Environmental Responsibility. I have visited many times since then, and also recently had the pleasure of dining at The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton.
I’m always impressed by the excellent standard of service, the quality of the cooking and the elegant surroundings in The Clink restaurants – most of the stylish furniture is made by the prisoners too. But most importantly, the Clink Charity programme is proving hugely successful in raising public awareness and dramatically reducing re-offending rates – through the running of eco-friendly, fine dining restaurants that not only train prisoners to work in the catering industry, but also find them a job to start when they are released.
If you’d like to know more about The Clink please visit www.theclinkcharity.org
P.S. In 2013, under the guidance of the admirable Alberto Crisci (who set up The Clink Charity) and his talented team, I devised two limited edition flavours of speciality ice cream, ‘Ultra Violet’ and ‘Julie’s Delight’. These were launched at Gelateria Danieli – a boutique ice cream parlour in Richmond upon Thames – with £1 being donated to The Clink Charity for every ice cream sold. What an honour to have an ice cream named after me – it looked like molten Turkish Delight and tasted like heaven on a stick…(well I thought so anyway!)
Gary Webster (Wendy’s husband!) and I enjoy the big chill
As a Clink Ambassador I’m also honoured to be in such distinguished culinary company – food royalty!
Group
- Albert Roux OBE, group chef ambassador
- Vic Laws MBE, group restaurant ambassador
- Graham Bamford, group mentoring ambassador
High Down
- Giorgio Locatelli, chef ambassador
- Antonio Carluccio OBE, chef ambassador
- Andrew Etherington FIH FCSI, restaurant ambassador
- Peter Bramich, restaurant ambassador
- Julie Peasgood, sustainability ambassador
Cardiff
- Gareth Edwards CBE, restaurant ambassador
Brixton
- Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, chef ambassador
- Esher Williams, restaurant ambassador
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Travel Writing
Posted at 8:56 am , on October 16, 2014
One of the things I enjoy doing most is travel writing. I’m very fortunate in that I’ve done a lot of travel presenting – I was recently with the Travel Channel for three years and I had my own travel show ‘The Great Escape’ on LBC radio. I was even a reporter for ‘Wish You Were Here?’ (Far longer ago than I care to remember!)
I’m now writing about travel too – for the Mail on Sunday and The Telegraph, and I’m Contributing Editor for Cruise International magazine. I also write a bi-monthly column for Magnet magazine with my husband Patrick Pearson. We visit various different ‘Destinations on your Doorstep’ within the Sussex area, where this popular magazine is distributed. In the October issue we looked at Brighton’s fascinating Kemptown, and if you’d like to read this – or to check out some of my other travel writing – please click on the various links below.
Land of the rising sun: a cruise from Taiwan to Japan
(Click to read at cruise-international.com)Cruise review: River Douro
(Click to read at cruise-international.com)Destinations on your doorstep: Kemptown
(Click to read)Highland Fling: Hebridean Princess
(Click to read at cruise-international.com)Peace and tranquillity in glorious Provence
Julie Peasgood on why she loves cruises
Vienna: for old-school glamour with a twist, give it a whirl
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Get yourself shipshape
Posted at 8:49 am , on October 10, 2014
The Mail on Sunday
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Out of Africa
Posted at 10:20 am , on October 9, 2014
Cruise International
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Why I love cruises
Posted at 9:02 am , on March 5, 2013
Cruise International
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Set sail for Italy
Posted at 9:07 am , on February 26, 2012
The Mail on Sunday
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Vienna: for old-school glamour with a twist, give it a whirl
Posted at 10:15 am , on November 20, 2011
Sunday Mirror
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