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Todays Anzac Day where we remember the fallen diggers who fought and battled for us during the First World War which was 97 years ago they fought hard and did us proud these tough brave men are the definition of true real SUPERHEROES.
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
What does ANZAC stand for?
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
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 25 April, 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. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers had been killed. News of the landing on Gallipoli had made a profound impact on Australians at home, and 25 April 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 us all 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.
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Lest we forget...
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My dear old dad, now deceased, fought in Papua New Guinea during World War II, and his dad fought in France during World War I. My brother has their medals and they are some of the family's proudest possessions.
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Yes, my dad fought in Papua New Guinea also, as well as some other country ( that I can't remember now). He lied about his age & signed up when he was 16.
One episode that he told us about once, but rarely spoke about was when they were attacked in a jungle. They had wounded ect & had to walk 3 days to base camp. His best friend was badly wounded from a mortar blast (Dad also had shrapnel wounds & carried that shrapnel in his body till his dying day) Dad refused to leave Aiden there & so carried him for the 3 days even though he had passed away on the first day. But, in Dad's words " Those '*(&@ %@&*#' (refers to a particular race & nasty) would have hacked him to pieces and I wasn't having that."
So whenever things get tough and I want to just throw the towel in, I remember that I am made of tougher stuff. And even though Dad knew the risks he took carrying his friend he never deserted him when things looked bleak. I don't have many friends but the ones I have I would walk on hot coals for if necessary.