ANZAC means Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.
Today we remember the New Zealand soldiers who died at Gallipoli during the First World War. Australia also remembers their soldiers at Gallipoli today. Although April 25th 1915 was the beginning of this battle in Turkey, it continued for 8 months and finished in defeat for the Allies (those fighting on the side of Britain). 14,000 NZ soldiers served with the Allies at Gallipoli. 2,779 died there and are buried in cemeteries in Turkey. Thousands of men were wounded; many of them never regained their health.
This tragedy was an important turning point in New Zealand. Before that, many young men volunteered to join the army for adventure, for excitement. They thought it would be a short war and they would come home as heroes. They would see the world. However, after April 25th, New Zealand people realised it was a terrible war. So many young men were killed and badly wounded.
However, the Kiwis (New Zealand soldiers) earned a reputation for their courage in Gallipoli. Britain realised how important the Kiwi soldiers were in their fight to win the war.
Now New Zealand is friends with Turkey. Turkey hosts the Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove (the beach where they landed). After the dawn service, New Zealand holds another service at Chunuk Bair, the scene of one of the worst battles. In 6 days in August 1915, 2,400 Kiwi soldiers were killed or wounded. 760 soldiers from the Wellington Battalion fought here and only 70 were not killed or wounded.
So many New Zealanders want to attend these services that names are chosen by ballot.
Listen to April 25th 2008 to hear more about ANZAC Day and type ANZAC in the search box to hear other posts.
Vocabulary
• Corps – special group of soldiers (the ‘ps’ sound at the end is not pronounced)
• defeat – opposite of win
• cemeteries – graves of people who died
• wounded – injured in war
• reputation – good name
• battalion – a large number of soldiers in one group
• ballot – names are put in a hat and someone chooses without looking