On 6 August 1915, the 1st Australian Infantry Division launched a major offensive at Plateau 400 at Gallipoli, Turkey. The ridges were once clothed with the Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis). However, they had been cut down to cover and line trenches, leaving one solitary pine. Hence it became known as Lone Pine Ridge. In the three days of fighting the ANZACs lost 2,000 men and the Turkish losses were estimated at ,7000.

Lance Corporal Benjamin Charles Smith of the 3rd Battalion sent back several pine cones to his mother at Inverell NSW. Mrs McMullen sowed some of the seeds some 13 years later. Two seedlings were grown and one was presented to the town of Inverell. The Duke of Gloucester planted the second tree at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The Glebe Society has donated a Gallipoli Pine sapling (Pinus halepensis) to the University of Sydney to commemorate those who served in World War I (see more below).

The sapling presented to the University of Sydney was propagated by the Yarralumla Nursery from seed collected from the tree at the Australian War Memorial. Final details for the planting ceremony at the University are yet to be announced.

The landscape at Lone Pine before Australian soldiers charged the Turkish trenches in August 1915. (image: Australian War Memorial)
The landscape at Lone Pine before Australian soldiers charged the Turkish trenches in August 1915. (image: Australian War Memorial)

 WWI: Glebe’s University Men

In tandem with the Glebe Society’s donation of a Gallipoli Pine sapling to Sydney University, the Heritage Subcommittee has been able to identify over a dozen Glebe men who were associated withtheUniversity of Sydney as academics, support staff or students and who enlisted in World War I.

As part of this investigation, members oftheHeritage Subcommittee recently met withtheSydney University’s World War One Centenary Project Officer to review entries on their Beyond 1914 website (http://www.sydney.edu.au/beyond1914) and to look for commonalities withthelist compiled by Rod Holtham of those from Glebe and Forest Lodge who served in WWI.