The Anzac Spirit

The Anzac Spirit

I never met my father’s father. His name was Zackery Carl, and my unknown grandfather grew up in a home with six other rambunctious siblings. The family, of good Irish stock, ran a dairy farm on a small island community in the Hastings River in Australia. Rawdon Island boasted twenty seven dairy farms in total, two churches, a community store, a one room school house, and of course, a football team. Life was slow paced in the tight knit community made up of many extended family members. Then life, as it was once known, changed, as World War I broke out on July 28th 1914. It was the Great War. Australia was still linked closely to England, having only obtained Federation to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. If England was at war, then so was Australia. Zackery, a youthful lad of sixteen years of age, was caught up in the excitement of it all. Patriotic posters, filled with messages of heroism, called to the young men to voluntarily enlist. My grandfather, desiring a thrilling life outside of the quiet farming community, and  ready to see the world, enlisted. In January 1915, Zackery was only seventeen instead of the required twenty one years of age; so lying about his birthdate, he found himself in the Fourth  Regiment of the 1st Battalion and training for war.

My Grandfather, Zackery Carl

World War I was under way, and as fighting on the Western Front in France in late 1914 deteriorated into a stalemate, the  British War Council decided that Germany could best be defeated by attacking her allies which were, Austria, Hungary and Turkey. Australian troops were sent off to train in Egypt with the New Zealand troops, and together they formed the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or as they are commonly known, the ANZAC’s. My grandfather, Zackery, became an ANZAC. The destination for the ANZACs was Gallipoli, in the Dardanelles, in the country of Turkey. 

The ANZACs fought valiantly against the Turks, digging trenches and suffering dreadful losses as murderous machine gun, rifle and shrapnel fire was only interrupted by hand to hand combat. The fighting was over a confined area on a cliff face, after the troops, having embarked from a ship in the cove on April 25 1915,  headed for the cliff’s and dug in heroically. Zackery came in on the second landing in mid May. Soon the area took on the appearance of a rabbit warren as the battle front of just two kilometres housed twenty thousand soldiers all living in dug out holes. Zackery and other soldiers bravely stood their ground several times, refusing the poorly planned and deadly British orders to head up and out of the trenches, to just be immediately shot down by the Turks, thus preserving their lives to continue the battle in a more successful way. Stores landed on the beach under the cover of darkness and the troops soldiered on day after day. Zackery’s  battalion was given a short rest on a nearby Greek Island during the campaign but it was soon back to heavy combat once again. Australia lost the Battle at Gallipoli, after suffering much hardship and the heavy loss of over 8000 lives. Zackery, starting to suffer from influenza, was evacuated with the rest of the ANZAC troops in December of 1915.

The ANZAC spirit captured the nation of Australia and forged our country together in a mateship of endurance, courage, ingenuity and humour. It became the birth and the defining moment of the Australian spirit and of the nation. Our country’s Veteran’s day is celebrated each year on April 25th, in commemoration of the landing at Gallipoli, and the day is called ANZAC day.

Australia lost that battle but they won the war of World War I. They entered Gallipoli as unseasoned soldiers and left with the character traits of discipline, initiative, great courage and incredible endurance. How often do we in our christian experience feel like we have lost a battle? We fall into temptation, we feel like we just did the same wrong thing, yet again. We can feel like it is hopeless. We can struggle on during trials not realising that Jesus already won the war for us. Jesus will take a lost battle or a discouraging trial and turn it around for good in our lives. He can develop the character traits of courage, endurance, fearlessness, and initiative in us. The war has been won. We have hope. Will I stand in the full armour of God and claim His victory today?

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Eph 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.