A Dictionary defines a country as “an area of land that has its own government.” A definition of a nation is as follows. “A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.”The former is a cold hard fact. The latter is something else entirely.
I believe Australia’s transition from a country to a nation took place on the morning of the 25th April 1915, on a hitherto unknown beach, in a far away foreign land.
It is when and where the legend of the ANZAC was born.
This spirit was reaffirmed in the continued eight months’ fighting on the Gallipoli peninsula. Although arguably a military disaster, the Australians displayed great courage, endurance, initiative, discipline, and mateship. These qualities came to shape the Anzac spirit as we know it today.
The story of the Gallipoli landing not only inspired the legend of Anzac, It helped many Australian’s define their self image and lasts to this day.
I believe it is fair to say that war is not one single battle. It Is a collection of encounters that inevitably shape the soul of a nation, uniting it rather than dividing it. The battle for Lone Pine is an exceptional example.
Background
Before World War 1 Australia was a newly urbanised and federated nation that had previously looked to its rural history to define its national character. The “bushmen”, and their women were seen to possess hardiness, a democratic spirit, mate-ship, and resourcefulness.
In 1914, most Australians had high hopes that their soldiers would prove the nation’s worth. These hopes were realised in the colourful descriptions of their men in action following the landing at Gallipoli. The bushmen’s perceived characteristics were now applied, along with dash and courage in battle, to the Anzac character. These qualities were soon extended to those who served on the Western front, where the term “digger” was also born and used to describe Australian soldiers’.
‘The mettle that a race can show
Is proved with shot and steel,
And now we know what nations know
And feel what nations feels’
– A. B. (“BANJO”) PATERSON
There are so many stories of gallantry during these dark years but none more important than The Battle of Lone Pine.
THE BATTLE OF LONE PINE
World War 1 started on July 28, 1914 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
The United Kingdom entered WW1 on August 4, 1914.
Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was automatically also at war.
Just over a year later, at 05:30 pm on August 6, 1915 the Battle of Lone Pine began. It lasted 4 days.
It was a very different time.
WHERE?
The Battle Of Lone Pine took place on the Gallipoli Peninsula, then a part of the Ottoman Empire, now Turkey and was a part of an overall invasion by Allied forces.
It is located in the southern part of East Thrace, also known as Turkish Thrace or European Turkey. It is the little skinny bit of Turkey that is geographically a part of Southeast Europe.
Bordered by the Aegean Sea to the West and the Dardanelles Strait to the East is about 60 kilometres long and no more than two kilometres wide at any given point.
- Istanbul is 203 kilometres.
- Sydney, Australia is 15,374 kilometres away on the other side of the world.
- Auckland, New Zealand, is 17,499 kilometres away as the crow flies. Also, on the other side of the world.
The Lone Pine battle ground was approximately the size of two football pitches. The width of the front of the attack was150 metres. The distance between the two trench lines was about 55 to 90 metres with a flat, ‘no-man’s land’ in between.
The terrain in the Lone Pine region was relatively gentle. The ridges were once covered with Aleppo Pine Trees the Turkish troops however had chopped them down and used them to cover their trenches leaving only one lone pine standing.
That tree was sometimes referred to by the ANZAC’s as “The Lonesome Pine”.
WHO?
The Battle of Lone Pine was fought between Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and Ottoman Empire Forces.
The Ottoman Empire (Which became the Turkish Republic in 1922) fought for the Central Powers, Germany, Austria-Hungary & Bulgarian and Ottoman Empires against the Entente Powers, Great Britain, France, Russia and Serbia.
Recruiting offices opened at army barracks around Australia. Thousands of men volunteered. By the end of 1914, 52,561 had enlisted.
They came from all walks of life. Printers, Company Secretaries, Fitters and Turners, Miners, Shopkeepers, Mechanics and School Teachers.
When they departed Australia they had little, or no idea of what lay before them. The harsh, tragic and brutal realties of war would however, galvanise these raw recruits and officers into a formidable fighting force. They displayed levels of courage, ingenuity, endurance and support for their mates that became hallmarks of the Australian character.
Specifically, it was the Australian 1st Infantry Brigade that was selected to undertake the attack on Lone Pine. It comprised of about 3,000 men under the command of a British officer, Colonel Nevill Smyth.
The Ottoman forces opposing the Australians consisted of two battalions of about 1,000 men from the 47th Regiment, under the command of Tevfik Bey. Positioned in reserve was a battalion from the 57th Regiment. Positions North and South of the Ottoman line at Lone Pine were the 125th Regiment at Johnston’s Jolly in the north and the 48th Regiment in the south along Pine Ridge.
Ottoman troops fighting against ANZACS forces were estimated to number of 1000.
The Ottoman Empire was created by Turkish tribes in Anatolia and grew to be one of the most powerful states in the world during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Ottoman period spanned more than 600 years and came to an end in 1922 when it was replaced by the Turkish Republic.
The human history of Australia began over 50,000 years ago when the first ancestors of Aboriginal Australians arrived by sea from Maritime South East Asia.
In 1788 it became a collection of British colonies. On January 1, 1901 the Commonwealth Of Australia was established.
Lest We Forget.
Come and and join in the commemoration of The Battle of Lone Pine at the Art Gallery of NSW on the 6th of August, 2024, with special guest speaker Dr Brendan Nelson. Also get exclusive access to private viewings of the Archibald prize entries. See more below.
When: Tuesday, 6th August, 2024, 6PM – 10PM
Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales (Archibald Prize week) ‘20th Century Gallery’, Art Gallery Drive, The Domain, Sydney NSW 2000.
Tickets:
Cost – $99pp
Private viewing of Archibald artworks – $22
Buy tickets – trybooking.com/CTEHE
RSVP – 1st August, 2024
ph. 0416 100 395
