𝕂𝕚𝕨𝕚 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕫𝕒𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤, 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝕂𝕚𝕨𝕚 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕣𝕖𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕪 𝔸𝕟𝕫𝕒𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤, 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝔸 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕡 𝕠𝕗 ℕ𝕖𝕨 ℤ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕋ü𝕣𝕜𝕚𝕪𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕦𝕡𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔸𝕟𝕫𝕒𝕔 𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕣𝕖-𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚.
The human remains were unearthed when historic World War I trenches were exposed by wildfires last August.
Subsequent heavy rain had further disturbed the site near the Chunuk Bair memorial, a New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) spokesperson said.
Local authorities and Commonwealth War Graves Commission staff were consulted and a decision was made to cover them.
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New Zealand commemoration lead John McLeod said a small team, including members of the NZDF and the NZ Embassy, assisted in the covering up of remains that were exposed.
"It was the right thing to do. We consulted with local authorities about best practice and with the utmost respect and honour, we covered up the remains, laid poppies and took a moment of silence for each of the remains."
Members of the New Zealand team behind the Anzac Day commemorations in Gallipoli covered remains unearthed by wildfires and rain. Photo: Supplied / NZDF
The group also recited a karakia and The Ode and played the Last Post, he added.
Visitors to Gallipoli are being told if they come across exposed remains, leave them or gently cover them up.
McLeod said that given the number of dead across the peninsula, attempting to remove the fragmentary remains of the dead from all sides would do more damage to the remains as well as destroy the battlefield and surrounding environment.
"The collective approach from all countries is to minimise the impact of ongoing human interference on the battlefield and respect it as the final resting place of so many men.
"After the battle of Chunuk Bair, it was impossible under battlefield conditions to recover or bury all of the dead."
From August 1915 onwards, the area around the Apex, where the most recent remains were found, was occupied by New Zealand units along with British forces. The area was a place of significant fighting as the Ottoman forces attacked after having recaptured Chunuk Bair, he added.
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"It's important the public acknowledges the sacredness of what is essentially one large cemetery.
"There are dead from all sides, laying side by side, and the various memorials across the heritage site honour those who never made it home."
McLeod said the small team was humbled to be able to honour the remains in the area in a small way, and it was "a very stark reminder" of what Anzac Day commemorations in the area mean to those who acknowledge it.
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