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Australia's first acts of war were
to destroy German wireless stations
at Rabaul, Yap and New Guinea, and
to occupy German New Guinea and
nearby islands including New
Britain, New Ireland and
Bouganville. Resistance was weak and
casualties were few. Meanwhile
Brigadier-General W.T. Bridges had
begun organising a volunteer army
for overseas service, to be known as
the Australian Imperial Force and
now famous in history simply as
A.I.F. The response exceeded all his
hopes and in three months a complete
first division of 20,000 men had
been enlisted and partly trained and
was ready to embark. It was joined
by two brigades from New Zealand,
and on 1 November the combined
contingent sailed from Albany, W.A.
in thirty-eight
transports, escorted
by the Australian light cruisers
Sydney and Melbourne and a British
and a Japanese cruiser. Its
destination was England, via Suez.
Nine days later a wireless station
at Cocos Is. in the Indian Island,
signalled that it was being attacked
by a German cruiser, Emden. HMAS
Sydney left the convoy and in a
classic running battle, disabled the
enemy ship and ran her aground.
Owing to a change of plan, the
troops were disembarked at
Alexandria to complete their
war-training in Egypt. Here they
were joined by a second mixed
contingent and united as the
Australian and New Zealand Army
Corps (ANZAC) with General W.R.
Birdwood in overall command.
As a part of Allied strategy it
was decided, early in 1915, to
attack Turkey through the
Dardenelles and so provide a safe
sea-link with Russia. The First
Lord of the Admiralty, Winston
Churchill, was sure the British Navy
could force a way through the narrow
passage but the attempt was
defeated with heavy loss. The
operation then became a military one
against a forewarned and powerful
enemy. On 25th April 1915 Anzac,
British and
French
troops stormed ashore on the
peninsula of Gallipoli against
fierce opposition from five Turkish
Divisions. After a day of chaotic,
heroic and bloody fighting the
ANZACS had established a precarious
foothold at what became known as
ANZAC Cove and during the next two
days they held on grimly against
continuous and savage
counter-attacks. Then both sides
paused to lick their wounds and the
ANZACS dug in. During the next few
months weeks of stalemate were
interspersed with days of bitter
fighting, with appalling casualties
on both sides. From the start it
was apparent that the campaign must
fail - indeed many thought it should
never have been launched - and in
December evacuation of the peninsula
was ordered. This was carried out
with such skill that the enemy was
completely deceived and by 8 January
the last Allied troops had left
Turkish soil. In this futile
holocaust of eight months Australian
casualties had totalled 8,587 dead
and 19,367 wounded; but from defeat
the ANZACS had emerged as probably
the best assault troops in history.
One thing they never lost was their
sardonic sense of humour and as they
returned to Europe, battle-shocked
and weary they sang:
"We
are the ragtime army
The
A.N.Z.A.C.
We
cannot shoot, we won't salute
What
bloody use are we?"
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Those
heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives...
You are now living in the soil of a
friendly country,
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the
Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie
side by side
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.
ATATURK
1934
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