Nhill’s ANZAC Day dawn service was well attended with over 300 in attendance at the Cenotaph in Goldsworthy Park to commemorate those who have served in the armed forces for Australia and New Zealand, many giving the ultimate sacrifice.
President of Nhill RSL John Dunbar conducted a welcome to country as well, he then told the ANZAC spirit story.
“The Gallipoli campaign was a military failure. However, the traits that were shown there – bravery, ingenuity, endurance and mateship – have become enshrined as defining aspects of the Australian character.
“On 25 April 1915, 16,000 Australian and New Zealand troops landed at what became known as Anzac Cove as part of a campaign to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula.
“The British had been trying to force their way through the narrow straits known as the Dardanelles to capture Constantinople and so relieve pressure on their Russian allies engaged with Ottoman forces in the Caucasus.
“Minefields and on-shore artillery batteries thwarted the early naval attempts to seize the strait and it was decided that troops would have to be landed on the peninsula to overcome Turkish defences.
“British and French forces landed at Cape Helles on the southern tip of the peninsula Meanwhile, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), which included the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Australian Brigades along with the 1st New Zealand Brigade as well as artillery units from the British Indian Army, landed on the west coast in a series of waves.
“However, in the early morning darkness it is possible that they were beached one kilometre or so north of their planned objective in an area of steep, rugged terrain.
“Once on the beach, many units became separated from one another as they began moving up the tangle of complex spurs and ravines in the darkness. Turkish resistance remained strong, and the Anzacs were subjected to devastating artillery bombardments.”Once on the beach, many units became separated from one another as they began moving up the tangle of complex spurs and ravines in the darkness. Turkish resistance remained strong, and the Anzacs were subjected to devastating artillery bombardments.
“By mid-morning Turkish reinforcements had arrived under Mustapha Kemal (later Kemal Ataturk, president of Turkey). Kemal’s orders to his men are said to have been: ‘I don’t order you to fight, I order you to die. In the time it takes us to die, other troops and commanders can come and take our places.’
“The Anzac position became progressively more precarious as the Anzacs failed to secure their high-ground objectives. The Turks mounted a fierce counter-attack regaining much of the ground the Anzacs had taken.
“That evening, Major-General William Bridges, commander of the 1st Australian Division, and Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood, commander of ANZAC, both advised General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, that the Allied force be withdrawn from the peninsula.
“After consultation with the Royal Navy, Hamilton decided against an evacuation, and ordered the troops to dig in. Falling back on improvised and shallow entrenchments, the Anzacs held on for a crucial first night.
“By that first evening 16,000 men had been landed but more than 2,000 had been killed or wounded.
“For the next eight months, the Australians advanced no further than the positions they had taken on the first day. The British and French forces farther south were also unable to break out of their positions.
“By November 1915, with more Turkish reinforcements and German equipment in place, it was obvious the stalemate would continue. Lord Kitchener, the British chief of staff, visited the peninsula and recommended to the British Cabinet that a general evacuation take place.
“In late December 1915 the Anzacs were successfully evacuated with barely any casualties, and by 20 January 1916 all Allied troops had withdrawn from the peninsula.
“Today we honour these brave men as well as all future men and woman who served in conflicts overseas to ensue, we can live in a peaceful and democratic society we live in today.”
Lest we forget.
Rhys Webb then told the story of Viven Bullwinkel the Australian Nurse and then read In Flanders Fields.
John then read the ode:
They Shall grow not old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not wary them nor the years condemn,
But at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
The Last post was then played by Nhill and Dimboola band, a minutes silence and the Reveille played, followed by the New Zealand National Anthem and Australian National Anthem.
The mid-morning march and service at Nhill Memorial Community Centre was well attended.
A number of local service groups and organisations placed wreaths as well as the three schools were represented, joining to march from the Nhill Information centre.
At the 11am service at Nhill Memorial Community Centre; Ryan Leffler was a fantastic guest speaker and talked about his time in SAS and why ANZAC day is still relevant to all veterans even to this day. Nhill Dimboola Band played a number of hymns and God Save the Queen.
Nhill College captains read the Requiem followed by the Ode and Last Post, Followed by one minutes silence and New Zealand National Anthem by Wiremu Larkins and the Australian National Anthem
Secretary of Nhill RSL Rhys Webb said, “A special thank you to: Nhill RSL Sub Branch members, Hindmarsh Shire, Rotary Club Nhill INC, St John Ambulance, Nhill College, St Patricks School Nhill, Nhill Lutheran School, Nhill-Dimboola Band and our community.”
Lest we forget.
See the whole coverage and all the photos in the issue.
This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 1 May 2024.
