COMMENTARY>>Australian air force commemorates ANZAC Day

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day, Sunday is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during World War I. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day.

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 13 years. The new national government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in order to open the Dardanelles to the allied navies. The ultimate objective was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany.

The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on April 25, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated, after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. More than 8,000 Australian soldiers had been killed. News of the landing on Gallipoli had made a profoundimpact on Australians at home, and April 25 soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war.

Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign left a powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the “ANZAC legend” became an important part of the identity of both nations, shaping the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

Australians recognize April 25 as an occasion of national remembrance, which takes two forms. Commemorative services are held at dawn across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet to take part in marches through the major cities in Australia and in many smaller centers. Commemorative ceremonies are more formal and are held at war memorials around the country. In these ways, ANZAC Day is a time when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

Members of the Australian air force visiting Little Rock Air Force base are commemorating ANZAC Day with a ceremony at 9 a.m. Sunday at Bldg. 160.

(Courtesy of www.awm.gov.au)