Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars,conflicts,and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year,Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign,their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).
John Kirkpatrick was a stretcher bearer with the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance brigade during the Gallipoli campaign –the Allied attempt to capture Constantinople,capital of the Ottoman Empire,during the First World War.
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914,and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood commanded the corps,which primarily consisted of troops from the First Australian Imperial Force and 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force,although there were also British and Indian units attached at times throughout the campaign. The corps disbanded in 1916,following the Allied evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula and the formation of I ANZAC Corps and II ANZAC Corps. The corps was reestablished,briefly,in the Second World War during the Battle of Greece in 1941.
Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett,VC was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC),the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Empire forces at the time. He was the only soldier serving with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) to be awarded the VC in the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War.
William James Hardham,VC was a New Zealand soldier who was a recipient of the Victoria Cross,the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded at the time to military personnel of the British Empire.
Samuel Forsyth,VC was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC),the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that could be awarded at the time to British and Commonwealth forces.
Lieutenant Colonel William George Malone was an officer in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who served in the First World War. He commanded the Wellington Infantry Battalion during the Gallipoli Campaign,and was killed in action by friendly fire during the Battle of Chunuk Bair.
General Sir Alexander John Godley,was a senior British Army officer. He is best known for his role as commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and II Anzac Corps during the First World War.
Sir Carl August Berendsen was a New Zealand civil servant and diplomat. After being in the Education and Labour Departments he joined the Prime Minister's Department in 1926,becoming its head in 1935. He was the creator of the Department of External Affairs,and collaborated with Michael Joseph Savage and Peter Fraser. He was Secretary for External Affairs 1928–32,Head of the Prime Minister's Department 1932–43,and Secretary of the War Cabinet 1939–43. He attended all Imperial Conferences 1926–43,and assemblies of the League of Nations and later the United Nations.
Frank Henry Corner was a New Zealand diplomat. Corner served as New Zealand's Ambassador to the United Nations and the United States,before becoming New Zealand's third Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1973–1980).
Sir George Robert Laking was a New Zealand diplomat who served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom,Ambassador to the United States,Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Chief Ombudsman.
Sir Alister Donald Miles McIntosh was a New Zealand diplomat. McIntosh was New Zealand's first secretary of foreign affairs serving as the principal foreign policy adviser to Prime Ministers Peter Fraser,Sidney Holland,Keith Holyoake,and Walter Nash. He is widely considered to be the father of New Zealand's independent foreign policy and architect of the former Department of External Affairs,now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,in New Zealand.
The military history of New Zealand during World War I began in August 1914. When Britain declared war on Germany at the start of the First World War,the New Zealand government followed without hesitation,despite its geographic isolation and small population. It was believed at the time that any declaration of war by the United Kingdom automatically included New Zealand;and the Governor announced that New Zealand was at war with Germany from the steps of Parliament on 5 August.
Christopher John Pugsley is a New Zealand military historian. He is published as Chris Pugsley and Christopher Pugsley.
Foss Shanahan was a New Zealand diplomat and public servant.
John Oliver Crompton Phillips is a New Zealand historian,author and encyclopedist. He was the general editor of Te Ara:The Encyclopedia of New Zealand,the official encyclopedia of New Zealand.
Jonathan Leslie Essington King,is an Australian historian,author and journalist. He has written 30 books in a 40-year career,mostly on Australian history,including a number of works on the Anzacs. King has also written thousands of articles for Australian newspapers and magazines,produced and presented numerous television documentary films,and acted as resident historian on many radio programs.
The Official History of New Zealand's Effort in the Great War is a four-volume 'Popular History' series which covered the New Zealand involvement in the First World War. Aimed at presenting the efforts of the New Zealand Military Forces during the war to the general public,the series was published during the period 1919 to 1923 under the stewardship of Fred Waite. Although the primary source of information on the New Zealand military contribution to the First World War for many years,it was recognised as an insufficient tribute to New Zealand soldiers who served during the conflict.
Glyn John Harper is a New Zealand historian who specializes in the military history of the 20th century. He has published several books on New Zealand's participation in the First and Second World Wars.
