SALLY WEST
Troops Swimming at Anzac Cove
Oil on Oil Paper, Mounted on Board
40 x 50cm
In 1992 I travelled to Gallipoli and it was an incredible experience. The trenches and graves are a haunting memory, all contrasting to the natural beauty of the beach at Anzac Cove and its crystal clear water. It is no wonder the soldiers wanted to swim. To escape, to bathe, to float. My grandfather was a soldier in Timor and he used to say “the ocean is medicine”. I understand the Anzacs risked their lives and dodged snipers to immerse themselves in this crystal clear water.