The bombs came, one, two, three, all around me, pounding at my ears. This repeated nightmare had continued ever since that horrid night in Gallipoli. All I could do was run, off the boat and towards my enemy, hanging on to dear life. Our troops were surrounded, ambushed by the Turks, sentenced to our death. Soldiers fell, one by one, blood spilling from their bodies, staining the shores of Gallipoli. I needed to find cover, anything that could keep me alive. I found shelter behind a rock, wishing I was back home with my family, wishing this war would come to an end. From behind the rock, I saw how vulnerable we were. The Turks had a major advantage, firing at us from the elevated cliff. This was not what I expected war to be. This was not what I signed up for. This was not fair.
It was about six months later that the war ended, when we were all finally evacuated from the failed mission, one nobody should’ve had to go through. Both forces suffered great casualties. I was lucky to survive, unlike many of my close mates that fought bravely beside me. I woke up, sweating all over, relieved that it was just a dream, a memory I wish to forget.
The video above is a small piece of the end of the movie Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir. It is obvious from the title that it is a story of what happened in Gallipoli during World War 1. There is a song playing over the video called “Heroes of War,” hence we are unable to hear exactly what is being said and for those who don’t know the story of Gallipoli, what is going on. The song went well with the video because it involved courage, mateship and patriotism.
We see that as soon as the soldiers come out from the trenches, they are shot at. The lucky ones are only wounded but most of them die. Towards the very end, the soldiers hang their belongings on the walls of the trenches before surrendering to their enemies. One last soldier runs freely for the last time before he is shot at several times.
We believe this video was very emotional and moving. It provided us with a good insight into what our Australian soldiers went through during wartime and we feel that we now have a better understanding of war at Gallipoli during World War 1.
Annually, on the 25th of April, Australians come together to commemorate ANZAC day. ANZAC stands for the Australian, New Zealand Army Corps. We commemorate the landing of the Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. ANZAC day became official in 1916. In 1917, the word ANZAC meant someone who fought in the war at Gallipoli. It then changed to anyone who fought or served in World War One. During the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day dedicated for the remembrance of all the Australian lives lost in the wartime. The qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice which were demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing are now recognised in the spirit of ANZAC.
The "Last Post" was a call played by a trumpet or bugle that sounded at 10pm each night to inform the soldiers that they should be inside their quarters for the night. This song is also frequently played as an ANZAC tradition, to indicate that the soldier has completed his life's work and has entered into his rest.
Ode of Remembrance
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal,
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation,
And a glory that shines upon her tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the daytime;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known,
As the stars are known to the night.
As the stars will be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
The author of this poem, Englishman Laurence Binyon, traumatized by the loss of lives during the Great World War, was inspired to write this moving poem. This has become a tribute to those who lost their lives during the battle. The bolded verse is now read aloud at dawn services and many other ANZAC ceremonies and is followed by a "Lest we forget” in memory of the soldiers. Usually a one minute silence is followed after the playing of the Last Post. This is a significant moment for Australians to reflect and remember the sacrifices made to make Australia what it is today.
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkey, Europe. The name comes from the Greek word “gallipoli” meaning “beautiful city”. The City belonged to the Ancient Greeks but was soon reclaimed by one of the Ottoman Turkish empires. Gallipoli is most well known due to World War 1 where the battle between Australian and Turkish soldiers took place.
The Battle of Gallipoli took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli between 25th April 1915 and 9th January 1916. This campaign was the first major battle undertaken by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps or also known as the ANZAC. The legendary acronym, ANZAC was formed on the battlefields of Gallipoli and the Western Front in 1916.
The first thing many people think of when mentioning of Australia's connection to the First World War would be Gallipoli. At the outbreak of war, Australia was eager to pledge 20 000 men to Great Britain. When announced by the Britain Government, many men from both Australia and New Zealand joined the army and signed up to fight in the war. More than 8,000 Australian soldiers died and around 15,000 were wounded, fighting in the Great war.
The Australian soldiers displayed their tremendously fearless and brave traits.The commitment to duty, the courage in the face of the horror of war and the overwhelming sense of mateship were all huge contributing factors that helped form the well known acronym, ANZAC.
The great World War 1 began in 1914 and ended in 1918. Militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism were major causes of the war. The discord between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was a factor to be considered as part of the trigger of war. Many provinces where the Serbians lived, were ruled by the Turks however still governed by the Austria-Hungarians. This caused the Serbians to feel oppressed and consequently, led to the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, this was not the only factor that triggered the war.
The traditional powers who were France, Russia and Britain became nervous at the knowledge of the political growth of Germany and the emergence of a unified Italy. Due to France’s doubt, they quickly formed an alliance with Russia. Britain came to an agreement or “friendly understanding” with France, and consequently Russia. This was known as the “Triple Entente”. Germany retaliated by devising a “Triple Alliance” with Austria-Hungary and Italy. Theoretically, Europe was at peace however, in truth, the two sides had already created enemies with each other and the war was destined to occur!
These two powerful alliances created fear and mistrust between the countries. Because of this, all the European states maintained large armies and navies. Countries in Europe believed that military force was a deterrent against attack, but instead, was one of the causes that led to the beginning of the Great War, a war that has become significant history, and a war that changed the world forever.
