Landing at Turkey’s Anzac Cove (pictured) in 1915, little did many of these men know that their sacrifices would still be commemorated almost a century later. These extraordinary pictures were today released to mark the 98th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings on Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand. The national remembrance day marks the anniversary of the first major military action by Australia and New Zealand during the First World War in 1915.

It also now more broadly commemorates all those who served and died in military operations in which the two countries have been involved.
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) fought alongside their British, French and other allies at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War One.

On their way: Australians soldiers embarking at Melbourne to fight in World War One in December 1914. Some 8,000 Australian soldiers died at Gallipoli

Located on the western coast of the Dardanelles, the British hoped by eventually getting to Constantinople that they would link up with the Russians.

The intention of this was to then knock Turkey out of the war. A naval attack began on February 19 but it was called off after three battleships were sunk.

Then by the time of another landing on April 25, the Turks had been given time to prepare better fortifications and increased their armies sixfold.

Australian and New Zealand troops won a bridgehead at Anzac Cove as the British aimed to land at five points in Cape Helles – but only managed three.

The British still required reinforcements in these areas and the Turkish were able to bring extra troops onto the peninsula to better defend themselves.

A standstill continued through the summer in hot and filthy conditions, and the campaign was eventually ended by the War Council in winter 1915.

The invasion had been intended to knock Turkey out of the war, but in the end it only gave the Russians some breathing space from the Turks.

Turkey lost around 300,000 men and the Allies had 214,000 killed – more than 8,000 of whom were Australian soldiers, in a disastrous campaign.

Anzac Cove became a focus for Australian pride after forces were stuck there in squalid conditions for eight months, defending the area from the Turks.

The Anzac soldiers who arrived on the narrow strip of beach were faced with a difficult environment of steep cliffs and ridges – and almost daily shelling.

At the height of the fighting during the landings of April 25, 1915, the waters around the peninsula were stained red with blood at one point 50 metres out.

Fierce resistance from the under-rated Ottoman forces, inhospitable terrain and bungled planning spelt disaster for the campaign/

Among those who suffered the greatest losses were the Anzacs Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who made the first landings, swept by an unexpected current to a narrow cove rather than the wide beaches the planners intended.

War historian Charles Bean wrote: ‘That strongly marked and definite entity, the Anzac tradition, had, from the first morning, been partly created here’.

But despite the toll in human life, the campaign is seen as a landmark in the formation of national consciousness in the two countries.

The 25th of April was officially named Anzac Day in 1916.

And today tens of thousands of people across the world attended dawn services across the world as the centenary of Gallipoli nears.

They stood motionless in the dark to remember their fallen countrymen and women as they marked the anniversary of the landing.

source:::::mail online UK

Natarajan