In Gallipoli's shadow: Pilgrimage, memory, mourning and the great war

Abstract

At a time when many forecast the demise of History, pilgrimages to the cemeteries of the Great War continue to grow in size and number. This paper asks who undertakes such journeys, why they go and how they respond to these 'sacred' and historic places. Through interviews and surveys it reconstructs the emotional world of these travellers, examining the varied responses of young and old and exploring the complex intersection between personal and collective memory. It argues that pilgrimage often involves the (re)invention of ritual and that it can prompt a reappraisal of both gender and national identity.