Gallipoli: The pointless deaths of teenagers

New Zealand RSA National President BJ Clark pictured in front of the Chanuk Bair Memorial in Gallipoli. Photo / Alan Gibson

BJ Clark wanders the carefully-manicured rows of Gallipoli gravestones with the Youth Ambassadors, with reporter Kurt Bayer. They stop and pause at the pointless death of yet another teenager.

The national president of the RSA has been travelling with the 25 Youth Ambassadors as part of the New Zealand Defence Force contingent for the past week.

Mr Clark shudders to think that it could've been good kids like the ones alongside him that died in the bloody First World War debacle.

"You look at graves where they are just teenagers, and think that life hadn't even started yet. You wonder what sort of effect they could have had on the world if they had lived - they could've been a prime minister, or a wonderful dad who brought up a wonderful family. It's just so sad," he said.

It is Mr Clark's first trip to the Turkish battlefield.

He has been struck by the natural beauty of a site where so much killing took place.
"You look up the hills, into the gullies, and you realise our soldiers just didn't have a show. It must've been almost like a turkey shoot," he said.

"But the cemeteries are brilliant. If there's ever a place to rest, this is it.

"You go into these cemeteries and go along the names, and you just can't help but have tears in your eyes."

Mr Clark said it's imperative that Gallipoli is commemorated, and that youngsters know its full story.

Many of the Youth Ambassadors have ventured abroad for the first time.

They are soaking up the history and researching individual fallen soldiers.

Mr Clark is certain that the centenary experience is one they will never forget.

"No matter what happens in their life, they will never forget their trip to Gallipoli."