The ANZAC’s

Why Australia became involved in World War I

Australia became involved in WWI when Britain declared war on Germany. Because Australia was under the British Commonwealth, Britain going to war also meant that Australia was also at war. Australia was part of the triple entente which included Britain, France and Russia. The aim of the campaign was to capture the Turkish capitol, Constantinople.

Landing and RetreatBefore Australia landed in Gallipoli, Australian troops were training in Egypt because it

was feared that training camps in England were not ready. Soldiers endured intense training in Egypt. The conditions in Egypt were hot and dry and the soldiers were not used to it. When Germany joined turkey in the war it was then decided that the ANZAC’s would go to Gallipoli.

The ANZAC’s got to Gallipoli by the boat HMT Galeka. Australia landed in ANZAC Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey at dusk on the 25th of April 1915. The landing was dangerous, as soon as Australia came into contact with land they were under attack of the Turkish army.

“You just had to sit there and wait for your bullet”

Daily Life of the soldiers

The conditions in the trenches made them hard to live in. The trenches were dirty cold, and muddy. The soldiers also had to put up with lice, rats, maggots and insects. This and rotten food usually lead to deadly diseases such as typhoid fever. The smell of the trenches was putrid as the smell of dying bodies would fill up the trench. As well as the trenches not being a suitable shelter the soldiers had other living conditions to be concerned about such as food. There was hardly ever enough to survive and in the weather that they were living in the food would get rotten so it would be left uneaten.

“The worst things here (Turks excepted) are the flies in millions, lice…. Everlasting bully beef and biscuit and too little water”

The battle of lone pineThe first attack happened at dawn on the 6th of August during the August

offensive. Men of the first Australian Infantry brigade wore white patches to prevent them from getting attacked by their own men. The Australian attacked the Turkish trenches at lone pine. Even though the trenches were roofed with heavy logs they were quickly captured. This began the battle of lone pine between Australia and the Turkish. The fight occurred for three days in the narrow trenches and caused 2000 Australian soldiers and 5000 Turkish soldiers dead.

The Slaughter

World War I is responsible for the deaths of 86 700 Turkish Soldiers and 8 709 Australian Soldiers. Lots of the people who lost their lives in war have no known grave. This is represented by the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“There were few people of whom some close friend or near relative did not lie on those hillsides abandoned to the enemy”

The EnemyThe Turkish soldiers were under estimated by the

Australian and British soldiers and were thought of as untrained peasants. Although poorly equipped and lacking medical and technical services with the German providing equipment for them, The Turkish soldiers were tough fighters who had great endurance and determination. The Turkish soldiers were to be feared by the Australians.

Gallipoli- The ANZAC legend When the ANZAC’s were fighting in World War

I they had to display characteristics such as comradeship, bravery, tenacity and audacity. But the ANZAC legend can be other things like endurance, strength, resilience and mateship. I think it is important to commemorate the past because even though it was a failed campaign and thousands lost their lives the soldiers had great traits that we should aspire to have.