By Syed Atiq ul Hassan;
ANZAC Day, celebrated on April 25th each year, is a National Day of Remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I. ANZAC Day is a National Day of Remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that commemorates the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). The day marks the national day in Australia and New Zealand as an anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli during World War I.
The Gallipoli Campaign was a military campaign fought by Allied forces against the Ottoman Empire in 1915. The ANZAC forces were tasked with landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey and taking control of the Dardanelles, a strategic waterway that connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea. However, the campaign was unsuccessful, and the ANZAC forces suffered heavy losses.
ANZAC Day is a solemn occasion that honours the courage, sacrifice, and service of the ANZAC soldiers, as well as all the men and women who have served and died in the armed forces of Australia and New Zealand. The day is marked by various ceremonies, including dawn services, wreath-laying ceremonies, marches, and other events across the two countries.
ANZAC Day is an important day in the national calendar and is widely recognized as a day of remembrance, reflection, and gratitude for the contribution of the ANZAC soldiers and all who have served and sacrificed for their countries.
Despite the failure of the campaign, the ANZAC soldiers demonstrated great courage and bravery, and their sacrifice became a symbol of national identity and pride for Australians and New Zealanders. ANZAC Day was first observed in 1916 and has been observed annually ever since.
ANZAC Day has since evolved to become a day of remembrance not only for those who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign but for all those who have served and died in military conflicts. The day typically involves services and ceremonies across Australia and New Zealand, with the most significant commemoration taking place at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove in Turkey.
ANZAC Day is a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers and the impact of war on society. It has become an important part of the national identity of Australia and New Zealand and is a day to honour and pay respect to the brave men and women who have served their country.
Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, France, India, and the Newfoundland army continued the war against the Mujahideen of the Ottoman Empire. In this war, Australia and New Zealand sent more than 100,000 soldiers to fight against Ottoman Empire. According to historians, a total of 130,000 European allies and 87,000 soldiers of the Ottoman Empire were killed. 8,700 Australian soldiers and 2,779 New Zealand soldiers were killed. Since then, Australia and New Zealand commemorate the deaths of their soldiers every year. This day is remembered as ANZAC Day (Day of Australia and New Zealand) every year on April 25. The deaths of Australian soldiers are commemorated with a national holiday. Relatives of dead soldiers are invited, and military parades are held in cities. Awards are distributed to soldiers who have delivered extraordinary services for the country in the year.
Australian and New Zealander top military officials and civil representatives begin the day with a cannon salute as the sun rises on the Turkish coast of Gallipoli. Australian, New Zealand and Turkish military personnel salute Australian and New Zealand ambassadors and senior Turkish officials. Australia and New Zealand also pay tribute to deceased soldiers in provincial and national parliaments on ANZ Day. The leaders of Australia and New Zealand educate their people about the importance and achievements of the military. The war between Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand was the beginning of the First World War. The war lasted several years between the Ottoman Empire and Europe, finally, the Ottoman Empire was defeated and thus the Ottoman Empire lost the war not only in Turkey but also in occupied Eastern Europe. The great Islamic period of the Ottoman Empire ended in many regions of the Middle East. At the end of the same war, Britain liberated the Middle East from the Turks and divided the Gulf region into different states, and awarded the tribal leaders the owners of each state. Today we see the states of the Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Oman, etc. All of them were part of the kingdoms of the Ottoman Empire.
Friendly relations between Australia and Turkey were developed when Australia and Turkey established their diplomatic relations in 1967. In 1968, the Turkish embassy was established in the Australian capital, Canberra, and Turkish consulates were established in Sydney and Melbourne. Along with this, Australia also established its embassy in Ankara.
Australia opened its doors to Turkish citizens in the fifties, sixties, and mid-seventies. Several Turks from Turkey settled in Australia on various visas and flourish as a viable Australian Muslim community. In the last 50 years or so both, Australia and Turkey have prospered their relations in different sectors particularly, trade, education, and tourism. (The writer is a Sydney-based journalist a political writer and an Anthropologist, his email address is shassan@tribune-intl.com )
Concluded on 24 April 2023
Syed Atiq ul Hassan
Mobile: +61 479 143 628
