As the Edwardian period ended (1901–1914), the new era of WWI saw the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs) land around Ari Burnu on the western side of the Gallipoli peninsula.
It was reported to be between 4.30am and 4.45am that 16,000 Australian troops landed on the shores of the Ottoman Empire on April 25, 1915.
They were part of an invading force in the Great War (1914–18), fighting on behalf of George V, King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India.
The campaign aimed to ‘re-establish sea communications with Russia through the Black Sea and end the Ottoman Empire’s role in the war’ according to www.aph.gov.au.
At the time, Russia was weakened by the Germans, and asked the British and French for military assistance to defend potential attacks from the Turks.
Strategically, it appears that the Gallipoli campaign was not thought through by Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill.
Nearly eight months after the landing, troops were finally evacuated on December 20, 1915.
The death toll was staggering. According to www.nzhistory.govt.nz, there were ‘7,000 French, and nearly 115,000 British and dominion casualties’. ‘New Zealand suffered around 8,000 casualties, including 2,779 dead. Australia’s 28,000 casualties included more than 8,700 fatalities’.
Overall, around 60,000 Australians died in the Great War.
It’s said that Gallipoli was a turning point, because Australia began to assert its own identity and independence from the British Empire.
Former Labor PM, Paul Keating, famously refused to visit Gallipoli. He challenged the narrative that Australia’s nationhood ‘was baptised within the Anzac spirit of Gallipoli’.
SMH’s Tony Wright wrote in 2008, ‘This puts him at odds with former prime ministers Bob Hawke and John Howard, and former Labor leader, Kim Beazley, who have all made moving speeches at Anzac Day ceremonies at Gallipoli’.
We are told ‘Lest We Forget’.
According to anzacportal.dva.gov.au that means ‘to remember always the service and sacrifice of people who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations’.
Perhaps we should also not forget that in those times, there was a strong commitment to follow orders from authority and governments, for good or bad. In modern times, would so many young Australian men wilfully put their lives at risk for war?
Hans Lovejoy, editor
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