ANZAC Day - Australia

ANZAC Day - April 25th

Article by: © Linda Campbell 2012

Anzac Day, April 25th, is significant for both New Zealand and Australia where, in Australia, at least, it has become far more than a commemoration of war dead. The history of this day is relatively simple but its symbolism is extremely complex.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. On April 25th 1915, ANZAC troops landed in Gallipoli. This offensive was part of the campaign against Turkey, planned by the Allies (Britain, France, Italy, Russia, USA after 1917, and Japan) to distract the Central Powers (Germany, Turkey, then known as the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungary) from the assault on the Western Front. At that time, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and South Africa were members of the British Empire and sent troops to support the 'Mother Country' in her war efforts.

The Allies decided to attack and take Gallipoli Peninsula on Turkey's Aegean Coast and then to attack Istanbul (known as Constantinople). On March 18th 1915, a fleet of British and French ships attacked the Turks but were unable neither to clear the sea of mines nor to get close enough to damage the Turkish guns and forts. Within eight hours, 700 men were dead and the naval offensive was called off.

It was now necessary to land troops to take out the Turkish defences. The force was commanded by General Ian Hamilton and its main constituents were the British 29th Division, the 1st Royal Naval Division, the French 1st Infantry Division, the 29th Infantry Brigade and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Very early on the morning of April 25th, the attack began. The landings were spread over about 13 miles of beaches, with some areas being heavily defended resulting in the deaths of thousands of men.

A strong current and a navigational error led to the ANZACs finding themselves, not on a wide plain but, on a small beach hemmed in by hills, heavily defended by the Turkish 19th Division commanded by Mustapha Kemal. This area is now known as Anzac Cove. The first of the ANZACs leapt ashore at 4.29am, in the cold, grey light of dawn. 23,392 Australian and New Zealanders were landed but 5,000 of them were dead within five days. An allied fleet gave supporting shellfire until May 25th when a German U-boat torpedoed one of the ships and they were then withdrawn to safety. Reinforcements arrived but they were unable to gain the heights. Over the eight months of the campaign, the Allied troops never managed to get more than five miles inland on any of the beaches along the Peninsula. The ANZACS, surrounded by hills and sea, fought and died within a ten square kilometre area.

A total of 500,000 men were landed on those beaches and almost 300,000 were killed or injured. About 86,000 Turks died. 50,000 Australians fought at Anzac Cove; 8,709 were killed and 18,235 wounded while 2,701 New Zealanders died and 4,880 were wounded.

Finally Lord Kitchener recommended withdrawal and the troops were slowly taken off, without the Turks being aware of what was happening. By 20th December 1915, the ANZACs had been pulled out and by the morning of January 16th 1916 the Allied positions on the Turkish beaches were deserted, leaving the Turks alone with the graves. The campaign had been a disaster.

Anzac Day rivals Australia Day (the anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet) as the most important national occasion. Why has a day that commemorates death and defeat come to symbolise a national identity to the people of Australia?

Until 1901 Australia had consisted of a number of states and territories under the direct rule of Britain. On Federation, the country became a federal commonwealth, with its own national parliament governing the states and territories. When the 1st World War broke out, the country was eager to prove its status among the nations of the world. Gallipoli gave that opportunity. The men who fought there, although engaged in a battle that was obviously hopeless, fought with determination and bravery. Described by an English journalist, Ellis Ashmead Bartlett, as 'a race of athletes' they earned a reputation as bold and ferocious warriors who were independent and unwilling to bow to military discipline.

Australia had come of age.

The date, April 25th, was officially named Anzac Day in 1916. During the 1920's, Anzac Day became established as a national day of remembrance for the 60,000 Australians who died in the 1st World War (given that Australia's population at that time was only about 4 million, this was a huge toll). By 1927, all the Australian states had declared the day to be a national holiday. New Zealand had already declared it a public holiday in 1922.

The day begins with a Dawn Service, which has its roots in the military practice of waking soldiers early to prepare for a dawn attack. It also has links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli. This service started in Australia in 1923 and was officially recognised in 1927, being introduced to New Zealand in 1939. It used to be reserved for returned soldiers but has recently become open to family and friends. It usually consists of a two-minute silence, followed by a lone bugler playing the 'Last Post' and then the 'Reveille'.

During the last few years, although the number of men and women who have seen active service has declined, Anzac Day has increased in popularity. The attendance at the parades and memorial services has increased dramatically. It has become a family day and it is not uncommon to see children, proudly displaying their grandparents' medals, walking in the parade. This is usually followed by a celebration at the local Returned Services League Club and the playing of 'Two Up' (a gambling game involving the throwing of coins, played in the trenches at Gallipoli, and illegal in Australia, apart from on April 25th).

As a new Australian, I used to find the culture of Anzac Day strange. At first, I compared it to Remembrance Day (November 11th) and failed to realise its true significance. A mixture of formal services, hymns, bugles, solemn parades and speeches, with drinks at the local RSL and a game of 'Two Up', Anzac Day celebrates the myth of the Aussie spirit. For a nation which won its independence from Britain, not through war and death, but through the more peaceable and democratic process of the electoral system, Gallipoli gave Australia its international identity.

Anzac Day is not only a day of remembrance for the fallen of war, but also a day of hope for the future of a nation.

This article first appeared on suite101.com.

Editors Note: Apologies for this article not appearing when searches are performed on 'New Zealand'. Unfortunately, the database structure allows listing of only one country per article.

ANZAC Day - Australia Dates, Location and Further Information

ANZAC Day is celebrated on April 25th each year in both New Zealand and Australia and by ex-pats worldwide.

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