What was the Armistice between the Anzacs and Turks?
There were actually two armistices. After the disastrous Turkish attempt to drive the Anzacs into the sea on May 19th, there were literally thousands of Turkish dead lying in No Man’s land. In some places their bodies were piled a metre high. On the 20th, an informal armistice was arranged on a local basis to allow the Turkish wounded to be recovered, but it was short-lived as misunderstandings occurred. An armistice was then officially arranged for May 24th, and on that day, at 7:30 am, all firing ceased while the opposing armies’ burial parties left their trenches to recover the dead. Many of the bodies of Anzac soldiers who were killed during the first few days of fighting were located and buried. (See, for example, the records of Major David Grant of the Canterbury Battalion, NZEF, Lieutenant Hinman of the 15th Battalion, AIF, and Lieutenant Roberts of the 9th Battalion, AIF). During the day the Anzacs and Turks mixed together, exchanged words, cigarettes and gifts, and for the fir
