CANAKKALE, Turkey - Britain's Prince Charles arrived safely in Turkey on Sunday for a brief visit during which he will take part in commemorations to mark the 90th anniversary of one of World War I's fiercest campaigns, the Anatolia news agency reported.
The Prince of Wales was greeted by civilian and military officials upon arrival at the northwestern Turkish city of Canakkale and was immedietaly whisked off to an official reception, the agency said.
He was set to attend a solemnn dawn ceremony on Monday on the Gallipoli Peninsula, separated from Canakkale by the Dardanelles Strait, to mark the fateful landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) there on April 25, 1915.
The landings marked the start of an eight-month campaign in which about 11,000 Anzac troops died fighting alongside British, French and Indian troops in an unsuccessful bid to wrest the Dardanelles from Turkey's predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, allied to Austria and Germany.
Turkey puts its own losses at some 86,000 men.
The dawn ceremony, which is expected to attract thousands of Australian and New Zealand tourists, will also be attended by the prime ministers of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.
Prince Charles will conclude his visit after attending a reception on board HMS Chatham, which is representing the British navy at the services.
The visit is one of Prince Charles' first official engagement since his marriage earlier this month. His new wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, is not accompanying him.
04/24/2005 17:19 GMT