Self-Assessment Task

Gallipoli
Gallipoli was a significant event as it was when the ANZACS were created, Gallipoli
was a significant event as it was when Australia established their nations
identity.
Facts:
Time- February 19th 1915 until 9th January 1916.
70 AUSTRALIANS WERE CAPTURED AT GALLIPOLI
MOST DIED IN AUGUST 1915
FRENCH, ENGLISH, AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND VS. OTTOMAN EMPIRE,
TURKS
ON OUR SIDE THERE WERE 480,000 SOLDERIS AND MORE THE 250,000
CASUALTIES
ON ENEMY SIDE AND ESTIMATED 250,000 CASUALTIES AND 65,000 DEATHS
Evacuation of Gallipoli began in December 1915.
There were 8,194 deaths in total
Australia received nine Victorian crosses from Gallipoli

It is the 25th of April as that is when Aussies and kiwis landed in Gallipoli in 1915

ANZAC was the name given to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey early on the morning of
25 April 1915 during the First World War (1914-1918).

Why did the Campaign fail?

Lack of sufficient intelligence and knowledge of the terrain made the campaign difficult. They faced a strong
Turkish resistance and were not prepared for such an onslaught. The incorrect coordinates on the very first
landing of the ANZAC unit from the British forces set the tone and did not help. Insufficient troop numbers
compared to the opposition, the slowness in getting artillery ashore, inaccurate maps, and the difficulties of
the terrain and the capacity of the Ottomans to use it to their advantage all lead to huge casualties and
ultimately defeat.
Of all the events in Australias history, the battle at Gallipoli stands out as having defined the spirit of the
nation. List 5 reasons as to why...

Explanation:
Those fighting showed perseverance and courage in the face of failure and despair. The bravery and
endurance of Australian troops in the face of death is what turned this horrific event into the legend that it is
today. The landing could not have been worse; the beach was at the bottom of a steep slope, meaning that
the ANZACs had a tough and dangerous struggle to climb up the beach which was near impossible with
Turkish troops at the top shooting down on them. IT set the ideology and image of the Australian (and little
NZ) soldier.
Who said the following quote: These raw colonial troops, in these desperate hours, proved worthy to fight
side by side with the heroes of the battles of Mons, the Aisne, Ypres, and Neuve-Chapelle.

Correct Answer:
Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett - a journalist for the British Daily Telegraph

Short Summary: The Gallipoli Campaign of 1915-16, also known as the Battle of
Gallipoli or the Dardanelles Campaign, was an unsuccessful attempt by the Allied
Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia during World War I. The

campaign began with a failed naval attack by British and French ships on the
Dardanelles Straits in February-March 1915 and continued with a major land invasion of
the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, involving British and French troops as well as
divisions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Lack of sufficient
intelligence and knowledge of the terrain, along with a fierce Turkish resistance,
hampered the success of the invasion. By mid-October, Allied forces had suffered heavy
casualties and had made little headway from their initial landing sites. Evacuation
began in December 1915, and was completed early the following January.
Preparations: British War Secretary Lord Kitchener appointed General Ian Hamilton as
commander of British forces for the operation; under his command, troops from
Australia, New Zealand and the French colonies assembled with British forces on the
Greek island of Lemnos. After four and a half months of training in a location near Cairo,
the Australians departed by ship for the Gallipoli peninsula.
Some Other Info: After the initial landing, the Allies were able to make little progress
from their initial landing sites, even as the Turks gathered more and more troops on the
peninsula from both the Palestine and Caucasus fronts.
The surprise landings at Sulva Bay proceeded against little opposition, but Allied
indecision and delay stalled their progress in all three locations, allowing Ottoman
reinforcements to arrive and shore up their defences.
Evacuation: In mid-October, Hamilton argued that a proposed evacuation of the
peninsula would cost up to 50 percent casualties; British authorities subsequently
recalled him and installed Sir Charles Monro in his place. By early November, Kitchener
had visited the region himself and agreed with Monros recommendation that the
remaining 105,000 Allied troops should be evacuated.
The British government authorized the evacuation to begin from Sulva Bay on
December 7; the last troops left Helles on January 9, 1916. In all, some 480,000 Allied
forces took part in the Gallipoli Campaign, at a cost of more than 250,000 casualties,
including some 46,000 dead. On the Turkish side, the campaign also cost an estimated
250,000 casualties, with 65,000 killed.
Gallipoli Practice Paragraph
The Gallipoli took place in the First World War on the 25 th of April, 1915 until the 9th of
January 1916. The battle was and attempt to control the sea route from Europe to
Russia. It was between the Turkish and Ottoman Empire vs. Australian, New Zealand,
French and English soldiers. The ANZACS, French and English soldiers trained for 4
months prior of the battle at a location near Cairo and then set of for by ship to the
Gallipoli peninsula. They were not aware of the landscape that they would face and due
to this they had a very large disadvantage when they arrived. They were caught at the
base of hills whilst the enemy was at the top. Australia lost a total of 8,159 due to
disease, wounds and being killed in action, 70 Australian soldiers were also captured at
Gallipoli. The most Australian death occurred in August of 1915. A surprise landing at
Sulva Bay provided the troops with a small glimmer of hope but, their indecision and
delay allowed the Ottoman reinforcements to arrive and block them off. Unfortunately,
although so many lives were lost, many say that this battle had no major effect on the
war as a whole. The troops were eventually evacuated in December of 1915 and the
last troops were evacuated in January of the next year. Altogether there were 250,000

Self-Assessment Task
casualties on the invading side and 250,000 casualties (which included 65,000) deaths
on the enemy side.
This battle was very significant to Australia as it was when the Australia New Zealand
Army Corporation (ANZACS) were created. This was their first battle and showed that
the Australians were one people fighting for one cause. It showed the world Australias
determination to complete their goal and their way of life.

Rats of Tobruk
The battle of Tobruk was extremely significant to Australia as it was when the world saw
Australias true courage and determination
The Battle of Tobruk was significant to Australia as it is when we won our first
battle. It was also the first time the German side had been defeated. It was also our
first battle of the 2nd world war.
Facts:
Australian casualties from the 9th Division from 8th April to 25th
October numbered 749 killed, 1,996 wounded and 604 prisoners.
14,000 Australian soldiers were surrounded in Tobruk by a GermanItalian army
commanded by General Erwin Rommel.
Location: Middle East and the Mediterranean, in Libya.
Only location to stop German and Italian soldiers from reaching Egypt.
Duration of 8 months beginning in April 1941.
Important location also because, it forces the enemy to bring most supplies
overland from a port in Tripoli, 1500 km of desert.
Rats of Tobruk went for 8 months from April 1941.
Went for 241 days.
Rats of Tobruk Practice Paragraph
The battle of Tobruk was Australias first major battle of the Second World War. It began
on the 8th of April 1941 and went for 8 months. It was located in Libya and it was the
only location where they could stop the German troops from reaching Egypt. It was a
battle between Australian, Indian and British troops vs. German and Italian troops, the
enemy side was led by commander, General Erwin Rommel. The allied force had been
surrounded by enemy troops and they gave the Australians the name Rats of Tobruk
as they were trapped like rats. The allied forces took this a compliment, saying that
they were determined and held their ground. They gave hope to many people in the
dark times of the war through this determination. The Australian did not only have to
face tank attacks, artillery barrages and daily bombing but, they also had to face the
harsh conditions of the desert. The nights were bitterly cold and the days were
extremely hot and there was a lack of water, all these factors made it extremely
difficult to survive.
The Siege of Tobruk was an extremely significant event for Australia as it was when
Australia won their first battle. It showed the world their determination and skill as
soldiers and as their own nation.
Summary: This Battle was Australias first major battles of the Second World War.
These actions and campaigns were fought in the Middle East and the Mediterranean

where the three Australian services were continuously in action throughout 1941. The
second year of the war had begun with a series of impressive British and
Commonwealth successes against the Italians in Libya. Australian troops led the
advance. But a rapid German offensive quickly reversed these early victories. All that
stopped the Germans march on Egypt was the defiant garrison at Tobruk. For eight
long months, surrounded by German and Italian forces, the men of the Tobruk garrison,
mostly Australians, withstood tank attacks, artillery barrages, and daily bombings. They
endured the deserts searing heat, the bitterly cold nights, and hellish dust storms.
They lived in dug-outs, caves, and crevasses. Tobruk was subject to repeated ground
assaults and almost constant shelling and bombing.
How they got their name: The Nazi propagandist Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce)
derided the tenacious defenders as 'rats', a term that the Australian soldiers embraced
as an ironic compliment. The defenders of Tobruk did not surrender, they did not
retreat. Their determination, bravery, and humour, combined with the aggressive
tactics of their commanders, became a source of inspiration during some of the wars
darkest days. In so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the Rats of Tobruk.
Significance: This was Australias first major battle of the Second World War. It was
vital for the Allies' defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal to hold the town with its
harbour, as this forced the enemy to bring most of their supplies overland from the port
of Tripoli, across 1500 km of desert, as well as diverting troops from their advance.

Bombing of Darwin
The bombing of Darwin was an extremely significant event to Australias history as
it was the first (and only) attack on our soil, it taught Australians that just
because we were surrounded by water we were not safe and they could still be
negatively influenced by other countries.
During and after the Bombing of Darwin there were 64 air-raids in the Darwin area and
another 34 bombings in the Northern Australia area.
Facts:

Woman and children were evacuated on the 14 th of February, 1942

Over 200 bombings followed.

Practice Paragraph: On the 19th of February in 1942, Darwin was attacked by the
Japanese. This was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on
Australia and consisted of two air raids, these two raids killed an estimates 243 people
and wounded another 300 to 400 people, and Darwin only had a population of 5,800 so
this statistic for injury or death was very high. The first air raid consisted of 188 attack
aircrafts that were launched from four Japanese aircraft carriers located in the Timor
Sea and the second air raid consisted of 54 land-based bombers. Whilst Australia did
lose 243 people they also lost a lot of equipment, Australia lost 20 aircrafts, 8 ships and
most civil and military facilities in Darwin were destroyed. The Japanese aircrafts
focused on taking out transport areas such as the airport and the harbour, this was
done to reduce the number of people escaping the city. After these 2 raids in Darwin
another 62 raids occurred in that area and another 33 raids targeted other areas in
Northern Australia. The aftermath of the Darwin Bombing was horrendous, many

Self-Assessment Task
houses had been destroyed and the land was very demolished. If the Japanese army did
manage to secure some of Australias land, Australias tactic was to retreat further back
into the land. They would use the harsh Australian environment to their advantage
because the Japanese troops did not know how to survive on the land so they would
eventually become exhausted or die and quickly lose soldiers and supplies. This would
make it a lot easier to fight back and reclaim the land.
The Bombing of Darwin was important to Australia as it was the first attack on the
country, it taught Australians that they were not safe and just because they were
surrounded by water they could still be negatively affected by other countries, it was a
real wake up call to the military and government.