Aleppo PinePrint Page

Honouring our ANZAC Heritage

This Aleppo Pine is a direct descendant of the original LONE PINE
which once grew on Lone Pine Plateau at Gallipoli.

This ridge, the size of two football fields, was the scene of a
major offensive launched by the 1st Australian Infantry Division on 6 August, 1915.  The Turks had cut down all but one of the trees which grew on this ridge to cover their trenches.  The ridge was dominated by this single Aleppo Pine which become known as Lone Pine.

In 3 days of fighting the Australians lost more than 2273 men and the Turks losses were estimated at 7000.  Of the nine Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians at Gallipoli seven were earned at the Battle of Lone Pine.  

After the battle an Australian soldier who had taken part in the attack, in which his brother was killed, found a cone on one of the branches and sent it home to his mother.  From the seed shed by it she raised a tree which she presented to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

This Aleppo Pine was raised from a seed of this original tree and symbolises the spirit of the ANZACs who served their country in the Great War of 1914 - 1918.

Donated by Geoff Bates, Blue Mountains historian, to Mr Derek Moloney, President of the Katoomba RSL Sub-Branch, on Sunday, 21 November 2010.