ANZAC stands for: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps

ANZAC Day falls every year on April 25th. On that day we commemorate all those who have fallen and fought in wars and who have served our countries.

The Legend
The ANZAC legend began on April 25th 1915 when at 4:20am Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the shores of Gallipoli in southern Turkey on the Mediterranean Sea during the World War I. Those men fought valiantly and became, in essence, the standard of what Australian men would be. Men who fought alongside each other, who began the tradition of mateship, where you look after your mate, watch each others back, and make sure he goes home too. The battle they fought in 1915 still affects Australians and New Zealanders because it was the first real time we had fought as independent nations. Australia had only been independent for 14 years and was still finding her feet regarding a national identity.

The ANZACS were supposed to land on the Turkish shoreline before dawn and push inland so more troops could land safely behind them. But before they could land safely a flare went up and they were suddenly under harsh gunfire and many men fell in those first few hours. It was then they found out they had landed at the wrong place. Instead of a flat beach they found cliffs in front of them which hid the enemy who was finding it all too easy to pick them off as they landed. But instead of retreating, the ANZACS continued to advance, up the cliffs and over the sandunes, never giving up. Over 2,000 men died that first day but amazingly, those who remained held their ground. Over the days that followed they kept that ground and advanced a kilometre inland, losing 6,500 men in the first week.

The ANZAC legend of Simpson and his donkey is one worth adding here. Simpson was a 22 year old stretcher bearer who carried the wounded from the line of fire. He used a donkey called Duffy to carry them back to safety for weeks, saving hundreds of lives. One day the donkey came back alone. Simpson had been killed in action.

One of the major battles in Gallipoli was the Battle of Lone Pine. In 2 days the ANZACS had swarmed across to the Turk trenches where it was so crowded the fighting was hand-to-hand combat. In 48 hours, in a place the size of two football fields, 2,273 Australian and over 4,000 Turkish men died.

After eight months the British High Command decided to withdraw from Gallipoli. The ANZACS alone had lost over 10,000 men. However the ANZACS were greatly upset at the order as they felt they'd be letting their fallen mates down to leave before the land was won. But retreat they had to do. However they devised a way to do so safely. The Turks never knew that 35,000 men, wounded, medical personnel, artillery, donkeys, and more was being evacuated over a space of two weeks. The ANZACS did everything to make it 'business as usual' including playing cricket in the open. They wrapped sandbags on their boots at night to get to the evacuation point quietly. And, probably the most famous, they rigged guns up with water dripping into a tin which, when heavy enough, would pull the trigger and fire the gun, making the Turks believe a soldier was still on watch.
 

Today
April 25th is commemorated by marches and services for all those who have fought for our country. Australians have been in every major war since the Boer War in the late 1800's. In virtually every city, every town, every village will have it's Anzac Day march and service. It may be at midnight, or one of the many dawn services, or earlier in the morning. People will come  be it rain or sunshine. And all will have their Memorial.

 
ANZAC Poem

ANZAC Biscuits Recipe

Australia

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