What is ANZAC Day?
Anzac day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand to remember and honour the soldiers of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I in 1915. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australia and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years. When war broke out in 1914, In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula, under a British plan by Winston Churchill to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire. ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. It was much more then planned and expected time. Turks performed legendary defense and the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships at the end of 1915. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war.
Anzac day is probably the most important national occasion for Australia and New Zealand . The Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, but the Australian and New Zealand troops\' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an \"Anzac legend\" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways their citizens viewed both their past and their future.
25 April was officially named as Anzac Day in 1916; it was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia and New Zealand, a march through London, and a sports day for the Australian and New Zealand soldiers in Egypt in that year. The small New Zealand community of Tinui, near Masterton in the Wairarapa was apparently the first place in New Zealand to have an Anzac Day service in April 1916 to commemorate the dead. A service was held on the 25th of April of that year. the 90th Anniversary of the event was commemerated with a full twenty-one gun salute fired at the service by soldiers from the Waiouru Army Camp in 2005.
Over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets of London. A London newspaper headline dubbed them \"The Knights of Gallipoli\". Marches were held all over Australia in 1916 and wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, accompanied by nurses. In both Australia and New Zealand, Anzac services were held on or about 25 April, mainly organised by returned servicemen and school children in cooperation with local authorities.
Anzac Day became a National Day of Commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who died during the war during the 1920s. In 1920, Anzac Day was accepted as a public holiday in New Zealand through the Anzac Day Act, after lobbying by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services\' Association. Anzac day was decided to be observed on date 25 April in Australia at the 1921 State Premiers\' Conference. However, it was not observed uniformly in all the States. 1927 was the first year in which all the States observed some form of public holiday together on Anzac Day. By the mid-1930s, all the rituals now associated with the day - dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, sly two-up games - became part of Australian Anzac Day culture. New Zealand commemorations also adopted many of these rituals, with the dawn service being introduced from Australia in 1939.
Anzac Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders lost in the Second World War.The meaning of the day has been further broadened to include those killed in all the military operations in which the countries have been involved. Anzac Day has been annually commemorated at the Australian War Memorial ever since 1942. Australians and New Zealanders recognise 25 April as a ceremonial occasion, to reflect on the futility of war, and to remember those who fought and lost their lives for their country.
The large numbers of Australian and New Zealanders travel to join the ceremonies on war sites. Gallipoli Dawn Service was held at the Ari Burnu War Cemetery at ANZAC Cove Gallipoli Until 1999 but the growing numbers of people attending resulted in the construction of a larger site on North Beach, known as the \"ANZAC Commemorative Site\" in Canakkale Turkey. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, mainly at war memorials in cities and towns across both nations and battlefields. One of the traditions of Anzac Day is the \'gunfire breakfast\' (coffee with rum added) which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies, and recalls the \'breakfast\' taken by many soldiers before facing battle.
