In the early hours of 25 April 1915, assault troops from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, thus beginning the land phase of the Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War.
Whilst the Gallipoli Campaign failed on many levels, the heroism and mateship forged in battle by the ANZACs left a powerful legacy which has helped shaped the national identify for Australians and New Zealanders.
ANZAC Day remains one of Australia’s most important national occasions, and is officially commemorated every year with a service at dawn.
Many people regard 25 April 1915 as Australia’s “birth of nationhood,” or alternatively, our “baptism of fire.”
Let the music of “Baptism of Fire” take you to those initial moments of the landing…
Gentle ripples of water lap against the sides of the landing boats as they edge closer to shore. First shots ring out. Troops disembark the boats in the wrong location in the cold, bitter darkness. Formations become quickly mixed up. Confusion reigns supreme - some troops dig in, others advance to their objective. Heavy fire from the Ottoman Turkish defenders is fierce and unrelenting.
“Baptism of Fire” has enjoyed performances by the Band of the Royal Military College, and the Band of the Defence Force School of Music.
The cover picture is the skeleton of a ruined boat that was used in the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula (Photo Credit: Australian War Memorial / P02913.008.002 / Public Domain).
