First observed in 1916, Anzac Day - 25 April - commemorates those killed in war as well as honouring returned servicemen and women. The ceremonies that are held at war memorials across the country, or in places overseas where New Zealanders gather, are rich in tradition and ritual.
The Gallipoli campaign of 1915 remains a landmark event in New Zealand history. Although it was a grievous failure for the Allies and did not have a significant impact on the war's outcome, the campaign fostered an emerging New Zealand identity, and its effects continue to resonate.
The Anzac Day ceremony of 25 April is a form ofmilitary funeral and follows a particular pattern. The day's ceremonies have two major parts: one at dawn and another, more public event, later in the morning.
Things had reached a stalemate on the Western Front by the end of 1914. An assault on the Dardanelles by the British and its allies would, it was believed, knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war.
The word Anzac is part of the culture of New Zealanders and Australians. The word conjures up a shared heritage of two nations, but it also has a specific meaning, dating from December 1914.
The ANZACs began digging in to their positions on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the evening of 25 April 1915. Short battles that were often costly, for both sides became the pattern of events for several weeks.
The Wellington Battalion, which William George Malone commanded, landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April. Malone immediately began to impose order. By example, determination and drive he transformed weak defences held by frightened men into ordered garrisons that dominated their Turkish opponents.
