Prince Charles joins his son Harry and world leaders to mark the 100th anniversary of the disastrous Gallipoli landings which claimed 140,000 lives during World War One 

  • Two days of ceremonies planned on Gallipoli peninsula to honour victims of British-led invasion on April 25, 1915
  • Attended by leaders of World War I allies including Australia PM, New Zealand Premier, Prince Charles and Harry 
  • Fallen from both the Ottoman and Allied sides lie close together in separate cemeteries on western edge of Turkey
  • Around 58,000 Allied troops and 87,000 Turks died during botched attempt to knock Ottoman Empire out of the war

Prince Charles and his son Harry today joined world leaders to mark the centenary of the catastrophic Gallipoli landings which claimed 140,000 lives during World War One.

The royals met descendants of fallen soldiers on the Royal Navy's flagship HMS Bulwark in Turkey's Dardanelles straits, the same crucial waters the Allies hoped to control 100 years ago.

Instead tens of thousands lost their lives on both sides in a nine-month battle between the German-backed Ottoman forces and Allies including Australian, British and New Zealand troops trying to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war.

Today, soldiers from both the Ottoman and Allied sides lie close together in separate cemeteries on the Gallipoli peninsula on the western edge of Turkey in what has long been seen as a powerful symbol of reconciliation between former enemies.

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Prince Harry and Charles attend a reception on Royal Navy warship HMS Bulwark where they met descendants of fallen soldiers from the Gallipoli campaign during commemorations for the centenary of the World War One invasion in which 60,000 Allied troops lost their lives

Prince Harry and Charles attend a reception on Royal Navy warship HMS Bulwark where they met descendants of fallen soldiers from the Gallipoli campaign during commemorations for the centenary of the World War One invasion in which 60,000 Allied troops lost their lives

Prince Charles salutes while standing next to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan as they mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Prince Charles salutes while standing next to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan as they mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Prince Charles and Prince Harry visit the Cape Helles English Memorial during a commemorative event of the Battle of Gallipoli

Prince Charles and Prince Harry visit the Cape Helles English Memorial during a commemorative event of the Battle of Gallipoli

Prince Harry takes a moment at the memorial at V beach cemetery, close to the area where the majority of Irish casualties occurred 

Prince Harry takes a moment at the memorial at V beach cemetery, close to the area where the majority of Irish casualties occurred 

Prince Charles, left speaks with Irish President Michael D Higgins, centre and his wife Sabina at the V Beach cemetery 

Prince Charles, left speaks with Irish President Michael D Higgins, centre and his wife Sabina at the V Beach cemetery 

Several boats stand silently where 100 years ago, thousands of soldiers were killed as they tried to get a foothold on the beach 

Several boats stand silently where 100 years ago, thousands of soldiers were killed as they tried to get a foothold on the beach 

The Prince of Wales has laid flowers on the graves of British and Irish soldiers who died 100 years ago storming the beaches at the start of the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign.

He was joined by Prince Harry and the President of Ireland Michael Higgins at 'V' Beach, close to the tip of the Turkish Peninsula, at a cemetery which is half the size of a football pitch but contains the bodies of almost 700 men.

In late evening spring sunshine, with birds tweeting and the smell of spring flowers in the air, the poignant visit came as the culmination of a day of remembrance.

The calm, low-key visit to V Beach where Royal Dublin and Royal Munster Fusiliers led the way, and who were so badly caught in enemy fire that the sea turned red, was a contrast to the pomp of the international service joined by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia.

Earlier, the princes met descendants of British and Irish Gallipoli veterans on board the Royal Navy's flagship HMS Bulwark, anchored in the middle of the Dardanelles straits which were the cause of the battle in 1915.

The idea to knock the Ottomans out of the war and open a sea route to Russia was Winston Churchill's but because of hopeless planning, hostile conditions and heroic defending, eight bloody months later the operation was halted, having cost 58,000 Allied lives. 

Planes fly over the Canakkale Matyrs' Memorial during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli this afternoon

Planes fly over the Canakkale Matyrs' Memorial during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli this afternoon

Turkish warplanes release red and white coloured smoke during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Turkish warplanes release red and white coloured smoke during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Prince Charles lays flowers in a garden of remembrance at the Abide memorial in Turkey during Gallipoli commemorations this afternoon

Prince Charles lays flowers in a garden of remembrance at the Abide memorial in Turkey during Gallipoli commemorations this afternoon

Prince Harry visits the cemetery at the Canakkale Turkish Martyrs' Memorial Abide during  the International Service in Seddulbahir, Turkey

Prince Harry visits the cemetery at the Canakkale Turkish Martyrs' Memorial Abide during the International Service in Seddulbahir, Turkey

Some 87,000 Turks died defending their home soil. The amphibious assault started at dawn on April 25 1915 as wave after wave of British and Irish, French, Australian, New Zealand and Indian troops attacked heavily defended beaches, through barbed wire, and raced up cliffs through scrub.

Lyn Edmonds, whose grandfather Private Benjamin Hurt was a Royal Dublin Fusilier who fought at Gallipoli, has tried to increase knowledge of Britain and Ireland's contribution to the campaign.

She was moved to see the efforts today to recognise the sacrifices made.

She said: 'I still think we have a long way to go to dispel a lot of the myths.

'But to be here with the princes, on HMS Bulwark, with the First Sea Lord, is amazing, it feels unreal.'

Charles joined the Turkish president at the huge Canakkale Martyrs' Memorial, which commemorates thousands of local men who were buried in unmarked graves.

British school girl Amelia Spoor and Turkish schoolboy Arslan Medes laid flowers during today's memorial service in Gallipoli 

British school girl Amelia Spoor and Turkish schoolboy Arslan Medes laid flowers during today's memorial service in Gallipoli 

Prince Charles sat next to his youngest son Prince Harry, as Prince William is on standby for the imminent arrival of the new royal baby

Prince Charles sat next to his youngest son Prince Harry, as Prince William is on standby for the imminent arrival of the new royal baby

The Prince gave a speech, praising the heroism and humanity shown by soldiers from both sides a century ago.

He said: 'All those who fought at Gallipoli, whether landing on or defending its shores, hailed from so many different nations and peoples, from an almost infinite variety of backgrounds and walks of life. And, whilst their origins were diverse, they were all thrust into a very different world than they would have ever known or imagined before.

'Indeed, in 1915, both sides were united by challenges that neither could escape - the devastating firepower of modern warfare, the ghastly diseases that added to the death tolls, the devastating summer heat which brought plagues of insects, and in winter, just before the battle ended, the biting cold that many wrote was worse than the shelling itself.'

Later, at V Beach, the Prince of Wales laid white carnations on some of the graves, as did Mr Higgins.

The royal party listened attentively to Commonwealth War Graves Commission historian Dr Glyn Prysor who showed them round the immaculately-kept site, which is just by the beach.

Afterwards, he said: 'The Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Munster Fusiliers suffered really heavy losses coming ashore here.

'One observer said the sea was awash with blood and the cemetery is right where the soldiers buried their fallen comrades in the aftermath of those landings.

'It is very poignant and evocative and you can really imagine what it must have been like for the soldiers coming ashore here.'

The princes will join a dawn service to mark Anzac Day tomorrow.

Mournful: Prince Charles and Prince Harry read names written on a wall during a visit to the Cape Helles British Memorial this afternoon

Mournful: Prince Charles and Prince Harry read names written on a wall during a visit to the Cape Helles British Memorial this afternoon

Prince Charles shares a joke with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during the commemoration ceremony marking the Gallipoli centenary

Prince Charles shares a joke with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during the commemoration ceremony marking the Gallipoli centenary

Prince Charles lays a wreath at the Canakkale Turkish Martyrs' Memorial Abide during  the International Service held there earlier today

Prince Charles lays a wreath at the Canakkale Turkish Martyrs' Memorial Abide during the International Service held there earlier today

Turkish and Allied powers representatives, as well as family members of those who served, are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign with ceremonies at memorials across the Gallipoli Peninsula

Turkish and Allied powers representatives, as well as family members of those who served, are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign with ceremonies at memorials across the Gallipoli Peninsula

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prince Charles pose for a photo with children after today's commemoration ceremony

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prince Charles pose for a photo with children after today's commemoration ceremony

Turkish soldiers take part in an international service of remembrance at the Abide memorial in Turkey during commemorations this afternoon

Turkish soldiers take part in an international service of remembrance at the Abide memorial in Turkey during commemorations this afternoon

Turkish mounted gendarmes dressed as World War I Ottoman troops, are seen at the Cape Helles memorial this afternoon

Turkish mounted gendarmes dressed as World War I Ottoman troops, are seen at the Cape Helles memorial this afternoon

Turkish Army soldiers rehearse their movements at the Helles Memorial prior to this afternoon's memorial service

Turkish Army soldiers rehearse their movements at the Helles Memorial prior to this afternoon's memorial service

Royal Navy flagship, the HMS Bulwark, is seen in the Dardanelles straits near Gallipoli today. HMS Bulwark, also with three helicopters and two other border patrol ships, will be part of the operations to help the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean once it leaves the area

Royal Navy flagship, the HMS Bulwark, is seen in the Dardanelles straits near Gallipoli today. HMS Bulwark, also with three helicopters and two other border patrol ships, will be part of the operations to help the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean once it leaves the area

Prince Harry is met by Commander Charles Maynard at a reception on HMS Bulwark  in Seddulbahir, Turkey, for the Gallipoli commemorations

Prince Harry is met by Commander Charles Maynard at a reception on HMS Bulwark in Seddulbahir, Turkey, for the Gallipoli commemorations

Prince Harry meets crew members as he attends a reception on HMS Bulwark with relatives of veterans of the World War One Gallipoli landings

Prince Harry meets crew members as he attends a reception on HMS Bulwark with relatives of veterans of the World War One Gallipoli landings

In recognition of this, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host leaders including Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and New Zealand Premier John Key as well as Charles and Harry.

Mr Erdogan and Prince Charles each laid wreaths at a memorial for the fallen Turkish soldiers at Gallipoli before listening to a recitation from the Muslim holy book as well as prayers for peace. 

A band in Ottoman Janissary costume performed old Turkish military marches.

Speaking at the memorial, Charles said: 'Despite the appalling sacrifices made by so many in two world wars, intolerance combined with the willingness to use the most barbaric violence remain a persistent and prevailing source of division and conflict.

'We all have a shared duty... to find ways to overcome intolerance to fight against hatred and prejudice so that we can truly say we have honored the sacrifice of all those who have fought and died here in Gallipoli and elsewhere.' 

In a message ahead of the ceremonies, Mr Erdogan said: 'We paid a high price for the Gallipoli victory. Yet we should not forget that we owe our current independent state to that spirit and perseverance that we showed.'

Ceremonies are also being held across Australia and New Zealand.

Bruce Scates, chair of history and Australian studies at Melbourne's Monash University, is the grandson of a Gallipoli veteran who has been advising the Australian government on how to mark the centenary. 

All smiles: Prince Harry and Charles met crew members and 15 descendants of veterans who were selected to join the commemorations

All smiles: Prince Harry and Charles met crew members and 15 descendants of veterans who were selected to join the commemorations

The royals were  in Turkey's Dardanelles straits, the same crucial waters that the Allies hoped to control during the First World War

The royals were in Turkey's Dardanelles straits, the same crucial waters that the Allies hoped to control during the First World War

Meet and greet: Prince Harry chats with Roger Boissier, the son of a Gallipoli veteran during a reception on HMS Bulwark

Meet and greet: Prince Harry chats with Roger Boissier, the son of a Gallipoli veteran during a reception on HMS Bulwark

The Prince of Wales enjoys a cup of tea with Captain Nick Cooke-Priest during a reception on HMS Bulwark  in Turkey's Dardanelles straits

The Prince of Wales enjoys a cup of tea with Captain Nick Cooke-Priest during a reception on HMS Bulwark in Turkey's Dardanelles straits

The Prince of Wales is met by Commanding Officer Captain Nick Cooke-Priest at a reception on HMS Bulwark in Seddulbahir, Turkey

The Prince of Wales is met by Commanding Officer Captain Nick Cooke-Priest at a reception on HMS Bulwark in Seddulbahir, Turkey

Prince Charles shares a joke with Hugh Gillespie whose grandfather Lt Col Franklin Gillespie was killed by a sniper during the invasion

Prince Charles shares a joke with Hugh Gillespie whose grandfather Lt Col Franklin Gillespie was killed by a sniper during the invasion

The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry attend a reception on HMS Bulwark with relatives of veterans of the Gallipoli Campaign who 100 years ago were on the eve of what turned out to be one of Britain's worst military disasters

The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry attend a reception on HMS Bulwark with relatives of veterans of the Gallipoli Campaign who 100 years ago were on the eve of what turned out to be one of Britain's worst military disasters

Turkish soldiers rehearse laying a wreath at the Helles Memorial, which commemorates Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Gallipoli campaign, prior to one of the main commemorative ceremonies in Seddulbahir, Turkey
Turkish Army soldiers rehearse their movements at the Helles Memorial

Turkish soldiers rehearse laying a wreath at the Helles Memorial before ceremony to commemorate soldiers killed in the Gallipoli campaign

Heroes: A picture of  Captain Herbert Hunter from the 7th Australian infantry is seen on a wall at  the Helles Memorial prior a memorial service

Heroes: A picture of Captain Herbert Hunter from the 7th Australian infantry is seen on a wall at the Helles Memorial prior a memorial service

'In memory of the glorious dead': A wreath from Queen Elizabeth II is laid at the Cape Helles English Memorial in Gallipoli

'In memory of the glorious dead': A wreath from Queen Elizabeth II is laid at the Cape Helles English Memorial in Gallipoli

Turkish soldiers in traditional uniforms ride by the Cape Helles British Memorial before a service to mark the centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Turkish soldiers in traditional uniforms ride by the Cape Helles British Memorial before a service to mark the centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli

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An Anzac soldier stands beside rows of rifles at the Cape Helles English Memorial before the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli

Anzac soldiers walk past the Cape Helles English Memorial before the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Anzac soldiers walk past the Cape Helles English Memorial before the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli

Spit and polish: British soldiers put on the finishing touches to their uniforms at at the Helles Memorial prior to the memorial service

Spit and polish: British soldiers put on the finishing touches to their uniforms at at the Helles Memorial prior to the memorial service

He said: 'The 100th anniversary is a very important moment because we're at a time now where this campaign ceases to be about memory and slides into history.

'All of the veterans have died, those with any living memory of the Great War have gone.' 

The amphibious assault started at dawn on April 25, 1915 as wave after wave of British and Irish, French, Australian, New Zealand and Indian troops attacked heavily defended beaches, through barbed wire, and raced up cliffs through scrub.

Many were cut down before they reached the shore and the sea turned red from the blood. 

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott reads a paper poppy containing heart-felt messages at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery near Gallipoli, Turkey

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott reads a paper poppy containing heart-felt messages at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery near Gallipoli, Turkey

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott shovels dirt during a tree-planting ceremony at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott shovels dirt during a tree-planting ceremony at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Ron Eyres whose father Private Samuel Eyres was injured at Shrapnel Valley during the war

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Ron Eyres whose father Private Samuel Eyres was injured at Shrapnel Valley during the war

Honouring the fallen: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott plants a cross during a visit to the Lone Pine cemetery and memorial site on the Gallipoli peninsula ahead of the Anzac Day commemorations in Turkey to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli invasion in World War One

Honouring the fallen: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott plants a cross during a visit to the Lone Pine cemetery and memorial site on the Gallipoli peninsula ahead of the Anzac Day commemorations in Turkey to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli invasion in World War One

Poignant visit: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (centre) with RAAF Air Chief Marshall Mark Binskin and Gallipoli guide Mark Kelly at Shell Green Cemetery ahead of Anzac Day commemoration services in Turkey

Poignant visit: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (centre) with RAAF Air Chief Marshall Mark Binskin and Gallipoli guide Mark Kelly at Shell Green Cemetery ahead of Anzac Day commemoration services in Turkey

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott places a poppy into a memorial wall during a visit at the Lone Pine cemetery on the Gallipoli peninsula

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott places a poppy into a memorial wall during a visit at the Lone Pine cemetery on the Gallipoli peninsula

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott during a visit at the Lone Pine cemetery and memorial site in Gallipoli peninsula ahead of Anzac Day commemoration services in Turkey
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott lays a poppy at the headstone of John Simpson at Beach Cemetery ahead of Anzac Day commemoration services in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host leaders of the World War I Allies, including Mr Abbott and New Zealand permier John Key

Light refreshment: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a BBQ breakfast involving bacon and egg rolls on the fight deck of HMAS Anzac in the Dardanelles. The warship will be part of an 11-vessel sail past Anzac Cove during Saturday's 100th anniversary dawn service

Light refreshment: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a BBQ breakfast involving bacon and egg rolls on the fight deck of HMAS Anzac in the Dardanelles. The warship will be part of an 11-vessel sail past Anzac Cove during Saturday's 100th anniversary dawn service

Australia's defence chief Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin addresses the crew of HMAS Anzac alongside PM Tony Abbott in the Dardanelles

Australia's defence chief Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin addresses the crew of HMAS Anzac alongside PM Tony Abbott in the Dardanelles

Although Gallipoli is synonymous with Australian and New Zealand heroism, three times as many British and Irish troops were killed as Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). 

Some descendants feel the British involvement has been overlooked by history, perhaps because it ended in failure. 

Prince Harry and Charles met 15 descendants of veterans who were selected to join the commemorations on the beautiful peninsula and ceremonies at Commonwealth War Graves Commission sites.

Ben Goddard, 37, was there to honour his great-grandfather Private Alfred William Goddard, of 2nd Hampshire Regiment, who landed on V Beach on April 25 1915. 

Turkish soldiers wait  before the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in front of the Turkish Mehmetcik Monument in Gallipoli

Turkish soldiers wait before the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in front of the Turkish Mehmetcik Monument in Gallipoli

Turkish soldiers ride their horses during the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in front of the Turkish Mehmetcik Monument in Gallipoli

Turkish soldiers ride their horses during the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in front of the Turkish Mehmetcik Monument in Gallipoli

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to supporters as he travels on a bus through the coastal town of Eceabat in Gallipoli peninsula

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to supporters as he travels on a bus through the coastal town of Eceabat in Gallipoli peninsula

He was hit on the elbow by shrapnel 11 days later but survived the hostilities and was discharged in 1918.

Mr Goddard, from Ropley, Hampshire, knew nothing about the Gallipoli Campaign until he researched his family tree and found out about his ancestor's war record.

He said: 'So many men fought and did not come back. That should be remembered, whether the campaign was a disaster or not.

'I am really proud and honoured to have been chosen, representing the Hampshire Regiment, and be there for the people who did not come back.' 

A sea of poppies blankets Federation Square as part of the '5,000 Poppies' project to commemorate the centenary of Anzac Day in Melbourne

A sea of poppies blankets Federation Square as part of the '5,000 Poppies' project to commemorate the centenary of Anzac Day in Melbourne

Strong alliance: More than 10,000 New Zealand and Australian servicemen died in the failed eight-month campaign, with Gallipoli becoming a defining symbol of courage and comradeship for the two nations

Strong alliance: More than 10,000 New Zealand and Australian servicemen died in the failed eight-month campaign, with Gallipoli becoming a defining symbol of courage and comradeship for the two nations

A woman visits the sea of poppies in Melbourne. Ceremonies are held annually across the country on the April 25 anniversary of the ill-fated 1915 landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in modern-day Turkey during World War I

A woman visits the sea of poppies in Melbourne. Ceremonies are held annually across the country on the April 25 anniversary of the ill-fated 1915 landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in modern-day Turkey during World War I

Pictures of World War One soldiers adorn a sea of poppies that blankets Federation Square as part of the 5000 Poppies project in Melbourne

Pictures of World War One soldiers adorn a sea of poppies that blankets Federation Square as part of the 5000 Poppies project in Melbourne

Hugh Gillespie, 72, from near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, made the journey for his grandfather Lt Col Franklin Gillespie, who was killed by a sniper while leading a daring raid. He was 42.

He said: 'Our soldiers behaved so exceptionally and fought extremely well in difficult conditions. I think it is an object lesson in making sure the strategy is right in the first place.

'Perhaps we could have (succeeded) with better intelligence and I think we underestimated the enemy. I think it turns out it was an impossible task we set ourselves there.' 

The leaders will attend ceremonies throughout Friday at the beaches where the Allied troops launched their attacks, only to meet with fierce Ottoman resistance that lasted until the evacuation of the last Allied troops in January 1916 in the failed campaign. 

Soldiers from the Wellington Company 5/7 Battalion march through a sea of poppies during a street parade for ANZAC Day in New Zealand

Soldiers from the Wellington Company 5/7 Battalion march through a sea of poppies during a street parade for ANZAC Day in New Zealand

Mounted soldiers tow a gun carriage along Lambton Quay during a street parade to commemorate ANZAC Day in Wellington, New Zealand

Mounted soldiers tow a gun carriage along Lambton Quay during a street parade to commemorate ANZAC Day in Wellington, New Zealand

A vintage vehicle travels down Lambton Quay during the Anzac Day eve street parade  in Wellington to honour the Gallipoli landings

A vintage vehicle travels down Lambton Quay during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington to honour the Gallipoli landings

The Last Post is played to commemorate ANZAC Day before a national rugby league match between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the West Tigers at ANZ Stadium in Sydney

The Last Post is played to commemorate ANZAC Day before a national rugby league match between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the West Tigers at ANZ Stadium in Sydney

A young spectator looks on during the Anzac Day eve street parade  in Wellington, New Zealand

A young spectator looks on during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand

Respect: Soldiers line up during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli landings

Respect: Soldiers line up during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli landings

Soldiers in WW1 replica uniforms look on from the front seat of a truck during the Anzac Day eve street parade  in Wellington, New Zealand

Soldiers in WW1 replica uniforms look on from the front seat of a truck during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand

Horse dung is shovelled off the surface of Lambton Quay during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand

Horse dung is shovelled off the surface of Lambton Quay during the Anzac Day eve street parade in Wellington, New Zealand

After attending commemorations for British and other Commonwealth countries, the princes will join a French ceremony this evening.

Tomorrow they will mark Anzac Day by attending a traditional dawn service.

Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders of all ages have travelled to Turkey after winning places in a ballot. 

Many will camp overnight to join in the poignant remembrance ceremony.

Marjorie Stevens, 87, from Adelaide in Australia, who had been planning the long trip for 12 months, said: 'It means so much to come back and give them the respect they (the troops) deserve.

'It's hard to keep back the tears and it's so important to keep the link to the past.' 

On Saturday, the focus will be on the dawn services to remember the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives thousands of miles from home in a sacrifice that helped forge a national consciousness in those nations and is still remembered as Anzac Day on April 25.

'Our forebears faced terrible trials, but the worst of times brought out the very best in them. 

'Their perseverance, selflessness, courage and compassion came to define us as a nation,' Abbott said ahead of the anniversary. 

However, there are several notable key figures missing, including French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will be attending commemorations in Yerevan to mark 100 years since the start of mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire.

The juxtaposition of the dates has aroused heavy emotions ahead of the anniversaries, with Armenians accusing Turkey of shifting the main Gallipoli event forwards by one day from Saturday to Friday to deliberately overshadow the Yerevan ceremonies. 

The Gallipoli land campaign began on April 25 when the Allied troops launched their attacks. 

Armenians mark the start of the massacres on April 24 when Armenian leaders and intellectuals were rounded up in Constantinople.

Armenia says some 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a campaign of genocide by the Ottoman authorities to wipe out their people. 

But Turkey has always resisted the term genocide, sticking to its line with even greater vehemence ahead of the anniversary.

'Armenia is not on our agenda,' at the Gallipoli commemorations, Erdogan said bluntly, sniping that in Yerevan 'they will talk and talk and insult Turkey.'

Turkey is keenly focused on ensuring no dark historical chapters overshadow the commemorations of the Gallipoli Battle, which as in Australia and New Zealand is seen as critical in forming a modern national consciousness.

At dawn on April 25, 1915, waves of Allied troops launched an amphibious attack on the strategically-important peninsula, which was key to controlling the Dardanelles straits, the crucial route to the Black Sea and Russia.

But the plan by Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, was flawed and the campaign in the face of heroic defending by the Turks, led to a stalemate and eight months later, a withdrawal.

Around 58,000 Allied troops died, including 29,500 from Britain and Ireland, over 12,000 from France, 11,000 from Australia and New Zealand and 1,500 from India.

Conditions were hellish as more than half a million Allies faced heat, flies, dysentery and eventually, extreme cold.

An estimated 87,000 Turks were also killed, with 300,000 casualties.

While Anzac Day is nationally-observed in Australia and New Zealand, many relatives felt Britain and Ireland's contribution to the campaign, and the bravery of those who fought, has been overshadowed by the war on the Western Front.

GALLIPOLI LANDINGS: HOW THE WATERS RAN RED WITH BLOOD AFTER CATASTROPHIC INVASIONa

The background to the Gallipoli landings was one of deadlock on the Western Front in 1915 when the British hoped to capture Constantinople.

The Russians were under threat from the Turks in the Caucasus and needed help, so the British decided to bombard and try to capture Gallipoli.

Located on the western coast of the Dardanelles, the British hoped by eventually getting to Constantinople that they would link up with the Russians. 

Disastrous campaign: Some 86,000 Turkish, 29,500 British and Irish, 12,000 French and 11,000 Australian and New Zealand ('Anzac') troops died during eight months of fighting in modern-day Turkey

Disastrous campaign: Some 86,000 Turkish, 29,500 British and Irish, 12,000 French and 11,000 Australian and New Zealand ('Anzac') troops died during eight months of fighting in modern-day Turkey

SS River Clyde: The former collier ship (pictured in 1919) was supposed to sail straight onto the shore and spill thousands of men onto the Ottoman Empire's shores, but it beached 80yds out on arrival in April 1915

SS River Clyde: The former collier ship (pictured in 1919) was supposed to sail straight onto the shore and spill thousands of men onto the Ottoman Empire's shores, but it beached 80yds out on arrival in April 1915

The intention of this was to then knock Turkey out of the war. A naval attack began on February 19 but it was called off after three battleships were sunk.

Then by the time of another landing on April 25, the Turks had been given time to prepare better fortifications and increased their armies sixfold.

Australian and New Zealand troops won a bridgehead at what become known as Anzac Cove as the British aimed to land at five points in Cape Helles - but only managed three.

The British still required reinforcements in these areas and the Turkish were able to bring extra troops onto the peninsula to better defend themselves. 

On the boat: The castle and shoreline at Sedul Bahr as seen on New Year's Day 1916 during the Allied occupation of Gallipoli from the bridge of the troopship River Clyde. The campaign ended soon after

On the boat: The castle and shoreline at Sedul Bahr as seen on New Year's Day 1916 during the Allied occupation of Gallipoli from the bridge of the troopship River Clyde. The campaign ended soon after

Huge losses: Australian stretcher-bearers attending to casualties arriving from the Gallipoli campaign in Cairo, Egypt, with 1,000 Anzac troops during eight months of fighting on the peninsula

Huge losses: Australian stretcher-bearers attending to casualties arriving from the Gallipoli campaign in Cairo, Egypt, with 1,000 Anzac troops during eight months of fighting on the peninsula

A standstill continued through the summer in hot and filthy conditions, and the campaign was eventually ended by the War Council in winter 1915/16.

The invasion had been intended to knock Turkey out of the war, but in the end it only gave the Russians some breathing space from the Turks.

Anzac Cove became a focus for Australian pride after forces were stuck there in squalid conditions for eight months, defending the area from the Turks.

The Anzac soldiers who arrived on the narrow strip of beach were faced with a difficult environment of steep cliffs and ridges - and almost daily shelling.

At the height of the fighting during the landings of April 25, 1915, the waters around the peninsula were stained red with blood at one point 150ft out.

Fierce resistance from the under-rated Ottoman forces, inhospitable terrain and bungled planning spelled disaster for the campaign. 

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