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EXTRA
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NEWS |
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Dateline
- April 29, 2008
ANZAC
Day, Doha, Qatar - 25th April, 2008
(Courtesy ABC News) |
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It was a calm morning but with a huge dust haze across the city.
The dust was light by Qatar standards but stood out in the bright
lights of the city. Driving in a huge city with little traffic
to the outskirts of the city in some ways felt quite eerie.
It was the Sabbath in Qatar with almost no one about.
A crowd of just over 100 turned out to commemorate the 93rd
Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. Held at the Doha Golf
Club a virtual oasis in the desert, a beautiful green lawn beside
the main entrance flanked by gardens and Palm trees provided
a quiet peaceful setting for this very special Dawn Service
It was a very dignified service indeed. A very poignant message
was delivered by the Turkish Ambassador, His Excellency Mithat
Rende. His message was well received and appreciated by those
in attendance.
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Ataturk Reading
Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, spoken to Australian and New Zealanders
who visited the battle site in 1934.
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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 now 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
faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying
in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on
this land, they have become our sons as well.' |
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Qatar
at the time of the First World War was part of the old Ottoman
Empire and was ruled by the Turks.
Qatar later became a British Protectorate finally becoming an
Independent Country in its own right in September 1971.
Also sharing with us were: |
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Mr. Roddy Drummond |
Chargee
Affairs British Embassy |
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HE. Mithat Rende |
Ambassador
of Turkey |
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Elizabeth Stachow, |
First
Secretary and Consul to Abu Dhabi and Bagdad |
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Michael Webb |
N
Z Representative & Principal of Qatar Finance Corporation |
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Elizabeth flew into Doha especially for the Dawn Service
Our guests joined
with our Committee and together we each made our contribution.
Our Committee members
were :-
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- Greg Rayner (ex Army, Longreach Qld, with Qatar Petroleum, Australian
Consular Warden)
- Rob Ross (WA originally Sydney, Qatar Gas, Consular Warden Australia
and NZ),
- Nick Dodd (WA, Qatar petroleum, Consular Warden)
- Samson Samasoni (Director, Bell Pottinger Middle East and New
Zealand Consular Warden)
- Gary Ivory (Gold Coast QLD, Education Queensland International
and Patron Burleigh Heads RSL Sub Branch) |
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We all enjoyed a light breakfast after the Dawn Service which
included ANZAC Biscuits. The setting as we sat overlooking the
green golf greens to the eastern sky was just so peaceful and
relaxing. Later in morning in the same setting an ANZAC Brunch
was held by ANZBIC a local business group.
Greg had begun the
first formal service in Qatar in 2006. As an ex service men
he is delighted with he response of the Aussie and kiwis as
they have run with the baton in Qatar to keep this very special
commemoration alive for this and the next generation. Many children
attend the Dawn Service.
We were delighted to have such a successful event and very pleased
to receive a note from the Australian Ambassador to the United
Emirates Mr. Jeremy Bruer congratulating us and thanking us
for our contribution.
And on a personal note:-
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I had the opportunity to deliver the affirmations or Uniform Resolutions.
In so doing I briefly was able to share with those gathered my
experience of Burleigh over the years. I described the March our
Ex Service men and women make, back up by the community, the Cenotaph
by the beach the central point of our Service and of course the
Burleigh Heads State School Choirs participation. Our service
began as the Burleigh Heads mid- morning service ended. We are
7 hours later or behind.
My thought s often strayed back home to Burleigh Heads and the
many faces I have come to remember so well.
ANZAC Morning in Doha for me was so special and will be an everlasting
memory. I really enjoyed working with the team here - the blokes
were tops and their wives and partners just so supportive.
See Greg Rayner's Blog - You can meet Greg and all of us there.
Click on this link http://anzacqatar.weebly.com/
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Special
Note from our Patron, Gary Ivory:
It' worth a look. And did you know in April 2008 113 hits to the
Burleigh Heads RSL Website came from Qatar. Okay now check out
the QATAR Blog |
