Honoring The Anzacs: Understanding The Impact of The Anzac Legend

The ANZAC legend is a term used to describe the stories, myths, and imagery associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers who fought in World War I. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915 and the event is still celebrated as ANZAC day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. The ANZAC legend is the key term for this essay, its causes and results are discussed in the next paragraphs. 

Conflicts involving European nations were fuelled by nationalism and led to World War 1 in 1914. Australia had become independent in 1901 but they were Britain’s ally and automatically agreed to back Britain. The first Australian recruits left Australia in late October 1914 but instead of going to Britain the ships were sent to Egypt as it was believed the Australian soldiers would not be able to survive the English weather. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula on the 25th of April 1915 to try capture the Dardanelles and an open sea route to Constantinople. The attempt was a failure and many lives were lost as well as the not reaching military victory. The ANZAC legend is now a huge part of Australian culture as it is a reminder of the amount of lives that were lost in Gallipoli. Although the Battle on the Western front was equally as courageous but does not get the same amount of attention and historians may argue that during the battle of Fromelles, soldiers personified the ANZAC qualities “resourcefulness, fidelity, comradeship, and endurance that will never own defeat” Even though the Gallipoli campaign influenced the ANZAC legend, the battle at Fromelles is just as influential to the ANZAC legend.

The battle against the Turks in Gallipoli was the main inspiration for the ANZAC legend. Approximately 27,000 ANZAC soldiers landed at ANZAC cove on April 25th, 1915. The Gallipoli campaign was an establishing moment for soldiers as they displayed great courage, endurance, initiative and discipline. The war correspondent Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett described the landing at Gallipoli: “They waited neither for orders nor for the boats to reach the beach, but, springing out into the sea, they waded ashore, and, forming some sort of rough line, rushed straight on the flashes of the enemy’s rifles.” This quote gave the ANZAC soldiers the image that they were courageous and would risk their lives for their countries. The battle at Gallipoli was recognised by the Turks as they share the sense of pride and mateship that was forged in the battle at Gallipoli. This famous message displays the esteem in which the ANZAC soldiers were held: “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmet’s to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours ... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.' – Turkish Ruler Kemal Ataturk. The battle at Gallipoli was the main influence in the ANZAC legend. And was recognised more than the nettle at the western front and Fromelles.

The ANZAC legend was forged in Gallipoli when many ANZACS fought and lost their lives to the Turks. The Gallipoli campaign involved British soldiers, French soldiers and ANZACs against the Turks and Germany. The Gallipoli campaign was being planned over months, but the first major event happened on April 25th, 1915 when the ANZACS landed at Gallipoli between 4:30 am and 4:445 am. The campaign was launched to pressure Germanys ally (Turkey) out of the war but the campaign failed as the warships were unable to force their way through the straits known as the Dardanelles. The conditions at Gallipoli were terrible, there was no showering facilities and u barely had chances to clean yourself. This resulted in diseases spreading throughout the Turkish and ANZAC forces. They could contract diseases such as dysentery, Tetanus or septic and many soldiers would be evacuated from the battle due to inability to fight as a result of the lack of good hygiene. The Gallipoli campaign had a huge impact on Australia as so many young Australians lost their lives fighting the Turks and the campaign influenced the ANZAC legend and became the centre of the legend. 

To end up, in modern Australian culture we remember all the soldiers that lost their lives on remembrance day or better known as ANZAC day as we have a minute of silence to pay respects. The ANZACs fought for Australia and will never be forgotten for the huge sacrifices they made.