Blog: ANZAC

Australia’s Gallipoli Victoria Crosses

23 April 2009 by Craig Blanch. Collection, Collection Highlights, From the collection, News, Personal Stories, , , , , , . Comments (2)

Anzac, the landing 1915 by George LambertAnzac, the landing 1915 by George Lambert ART02873

For ninety four years the story of Gallipoli has galvanised Australians to remember, on ANZAC Day, those that have served, and continue to serve, in conflicts around the globe. The description by poet John Masefield in 1917 of the landing on Gallipoli creates an indelible backdrop to the fighting:

Those who wish to imagine the scene must think of any rough and steep coast known to them, picturing it as roadless, waterless, much broken with gullies, covered with scrub, sandy, loose, difficult to walk upon, and without more than two miles of accessible landing throughout its length…Then let them imagine the hills entrenched, the landing mined, the beaches tangled with barbed wire, ranged by Howitzers, and swept by machine guns…

(See rare movie footage of Anzac and Suvla here) 

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