ANZAC Day

Every year on the 25th of April, Anzac day is commemorated in Australia and New Zealand to honour the sacrifices made by Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign.

The Battle

The battle of Gallipoli lasted for eight long months. There were two sides. Firstly, an alliance was formed by 489,000 soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, France, England, Ireland, India and Newfoundland. In opposition, there were 315,550 soldiers from the Ottoman Empire and Arabs in Gallipoli, Turkey.

The Fight

It started with a naval attack on the Ottoman Empire on February 19th 1915, and again on March 18th 1915. Then, on 25th April 1915, the Allied forces landed on the peninsula of Gallipoli. Over the same year, there were some big battles like the Anzac Cove Attack and the August Offensive. Finally, on 9th January 1916, the Allied forces retreated and the Ottoman Empire won the Battle of Gallipoli.

The Aftermath

In the aftermath there were over 113,300 deaths. The Allied Forces suffered 56,707 deaths compared to the Ottomans with 56,643 deaths. In total, the allies suffered 187,959 casualties which was more than the Ottomans of 164,828.

Conclusion

The Ottomans won even though they were outnumbered by over 100,000 people, thanks to their planning before the attack and misleading information. After the battle, poppies of the color red sprouted everywhere across the battlefield. There are many other commemorations.

ANZAC traditions

Anzac Biscuits

Today, Anzac biscuits hold a special place in our hearts, with children baking these biscuits with adults to commemorate the service and sacrifices made by military personnel. The origins of the Anzac biscuits trace back to World War I, when women and women’s groups gifted these crispy desserts in tins to the military personnel as supplements. Back then, the Anzac biscuits weren’t as tasty. However, soldiers relied on these rock-hard toothbreakers, or ‘hardtack biscuits’, as a nutritional substitute for bread. As Anzac biscuits use simple and humble ingredients such as oats, flour, sugar, butter golden syrup and desiccated coconut, baking this recipe is a great activity to remember and recognise the veterans who served us.

Rosemary

Rosemary is often pinned on a coat lapel near the heart on Anzac Day as a symbol of fidelity and remembrance. Historically, this herb thrived on the peninsulas of Gallipoli, where many soldiers lost their lives. In 1915, a wounded digger carried the rosemary and planted it in the Keswick Army Hospital. Requiring very little water and very low maintenance, the rosemary formed hedges and shrubs. In the 1980s, the Director of Avenues of Honour, took and grew the rosemary to ensure this historical plant could be preserved. To this day, many students wear the rosemary during assemblies to signify respect and remembrance.

Poppies

Today, poppies are worn on Anzac day to commemorate fallen soldiers and to be a flower of remembrance. Traditionally poppies were woven into wreaths on special days of commemoration, placed beside names to honour them and worn on clothing during special events. Poppies were first used after WW1 as on Flanders field, one of the battlefields, poppies were the first plant to sprout.

Conclusion

Poppies, Rosemary and Anzac biscuits are all common but there are many others. This may include the last post, one minute of silence and dawn ceremonies. Every Anzac day a dawn ceremony is held and it includes a meeting at dawn to commemorate the fallen. On Anzac day there is also one minute of silence to think about the past. After that the last post is played by a single person to finish the ceremony. Wreaths are also placed.

In conclusion, Anzac day is a great way to commemorate the fallen. The Anzac troops will never be forgotten as they helped change history. It is important that we keep on celebrating them.