Anzac war widows to be flown to Gallipoli
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Ten women will be honoured for their sacrifice in caring for Anzac ex-soldiers at this year’s Anzac centenary commemorations.
The Australian Government has pledged to fly the women aged 71-92 to Gallipoli for the dawn service that will also attract foreign dignitaries and members of the royal family.
A total of 115 Australian World War One war wives are alive, the Herald Sun reports, and some like Ann Beasley have never been to Gallipoli.
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“I’m expecting it will be very emotional,” Mrs Beasley said.
Her husband, Frank Beasley, died in 1976 aged 79. Mrs Beasley is 84. The pair were married when she was 23 and he was 69 – a 46 year age gap.
According to the Herald Sun, many of the 115 war wives declined to fly to Turkey due to their age, an average of 92 years old.
Security at the site will be ramped up for the 8200 expected to attend the service at Anzac Cove.
Turkish jandarma and national police forces will reach 4000, an increase of 40 per cent over last year, with the addition of 1000 Turkish soldiers and the coast guard.
Australian security agencies have also been in Turkey over “recent weeks”, AAP reports.
Turkey neighbours war-torn Syria and Iraq and, across its central border, the town of Kobane was battling the Islamic State in early 2015.
Prince Charles and Prince Harry will attend the international and commonwealth services on April 24 as well as the Australian and New Zealand commemorations on April 25.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be on the peninsula along with his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, and other high-profile leaders from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Turkey itself.
Gallipoli services director Tim Evans showed confidence in the Turkish forces’ ability to protect the site from danger, after News Limited reported the site was considered a “high-value target” by Islamic State.
“The Turks are well-practised at this,” Mr Evans said.
