Today is a public holiday here in Australia as we celebrate ANZAC Day.
ANZAC Day 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. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Why is it so important to us Australians?
Well - I couldn't have written it better than this information taken from the Australian War Memorial:
"When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 14 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 to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The plan was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the 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 were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the "ANZAC legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and future."
I personally remember when I was at school learning about World War 1 and the landing at Gallipoli, I wondered if we had had a former family member who might have gone to that very war whom we didn't know about . . . how ironic many years later, I would make contact with a lady who is related to my Family Tree and who would tell me that we did indeed have an ancestor who died at Gallipoli.
Charles Connell Martin was his name and he was my '1st Cousin 3 Times Removed' (so my genealogy program tells me anyway - *grin*)
Charles grew up in Daylesford, Victoria and became a Blacksmith and worked for his father. At the age of 21 years and 8 months, Charles enlisted for duty in World War 1. He was ranked a PRIVATE and was with the Australian Infantry, A.I.F. Regiment, 7th Battalion.
According to copies of his military paperwork that we obtained from the Australian War Memorial, on the 25th April 1915, Charles was reported 'Missing In Action' at the Dardenelles and it wasn't until the 29th May 1915 that he was confirmed 'Killed In Action' at Gallipoli.
Charles would be later awarded 3 medals - 'The STAR', 'The BRITISH WAR MEDAL' and 'The VICTORY MEDAL' and his father would be awarded 'The MEMORIAL SCROLL'.
Charles is listed on the 'First World War Nominal Roll' at the Australian War Memorial and I know that my next visit there is going to have all that more meaning for me personally.
"Lest we Forget"
