AUSTRALIAN HISTORY ESSAY
THE ANZAC LEGEND
The Australian experience in the First World War was vital in creating the ANZAC legend throughout the international stage and giving Australia as a country and their soldiers the appropriate image of being brave and courageous in the face of horrific conditions and a relentless enemy during their campaign. Other key factors contributing to the ANZAC legend were the loyalty that Australia had with their allies, especially the British Empire and also stories of mate-ship such as Private Jack Simpson Kirkpatrick’s promoted their legend.
Most people say that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps legend began as soon as the Australians landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915 in the dreadful circumstances at Gallipoli (located in the north-west corner of modern-day Turkey in the European mainland) but that has not always bin the case for Australia’s main involvement in the war was on the western front the border area between France and Belgium between 1916 and 1918. Not only battles fought with bullets, but also battles of extreme heat in summer, freezing cold in winter, fleas, flies, lice and diseases such as gangrene caused by “trench foot” were all factors that had to be endured by the Anzac’s and helped form their legend. “Your feet swell to two or three times their normal size and go completely dead. You could stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing” is a quote made by Sergeant Harry Roberts of the British army, this quote can give us an idea of how troops thought about trench foot, trench life and what it felt like knowing that you were always vulnerable even if you were out of the line of fire.
One of the main aspects of the Australian experience that helped create the ANZAC legend was the thrill and excitement of having the chance to take part in the first war since federation (1901) that was made out to be a great honor and adventure by the media at that time by the manipulating technique of...