| “ | At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
— ANZAC Day Tribute.
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” |
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial Force and 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The corps was disbanded in 1916 following the Allied evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula and the formation of I Anzac Corps and II Anzac Corps.
Plans for the formation began in November 1914 while the first contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops were still in convoy bound for, as they thought, Europe. However, following the experiences of the Canadian Expeditionary Force encamped on Salisbury Plain, it was decided not to subject the Australians and New Zealanders to the English winter and so they were diverted to Egypt for training before moving on to the Western Front in France.The British Secretary of State for War, Horatio Kitchener, appointed General William Birdwood, an officer of the British Indian Army, to the command of the corps and he furnished most of the corps staff from the Indian Army as well. Birdwood arrived in Cairo on 21 December 1914 to assume command of the corps.
It was originally intended to name the corps the Australasian Army Corps, this title being used in the unit diary, following the common practice of the time, which often saw New Zealanders and Australians compete together as Australasia in sporting events. However, protests from New Zealand led adoption of the name Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The administration clerks found the title too cumbersome so quickly adopted the abbreviation A. & N.Z.A.C. or simply ANZAC. Shortly afterwards it was officially adopted as the codename for the corps but it did not enter common usage amongst the troops until after the Gallipoli landings.
At the outset, the corps comprised one complete division, the Australian 1st Division, the New Zealand Infantry Brigade and two mounted brigades—the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (NZMR). Another convoy transporting an Australian infantry brigade (the 4th) and two light horse brigades arrived shortly afterwards. Initially the brigades were arranged by combining the two extra infantry brigades into the "New Zealand Division" and the mounted brigades into the "Mounted Division" but this was deemed unsatisfactory. Instead the New Zealand and Australian Division was formed with the two infantry brigades plus two mounted brigades (1st Light Horse Brigade and NZMR Brigade). The remaining light horse brigades became corps troops. These two divisions would remain the core of ANZAC for the duration of its existence.
Despite being synonymous with Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC was a multi-national body. In addition to the many British officers in the corps and division staffs, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps contained, at various points, the 7th Brigade of the Indian Mountain Artillery, Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps troops, the Zion Mule Corps, 4 battalions from the Royal Naval Division, the British 13th (Western) Division, one brigade of the British 10th (Irish) Division and the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade.
(From Wikipedia)
Battle vs. Arditi (by Samurai234)[]
ANZAC: 
Arditi: 
5 ANZAC soldiers are inside a fort discussing a plan to invade their enemies fort.
"Sir, should attack now?" asks one soldier.
"No, they are going to be expecting us." says the leader. "I say we strike we they lower their defenses."
Meanwhile, 5 Arditi soldier are staring atop their headquarters, looking for the enemies. Suddenly, they hear a rocket fly through the air.
"Attento!" yells the Arditi leader.
The rocket barley misses the fortress. They look down and see the ANZAC soldiers, with one reloading a Stokes Mortar. One Arditi fires his Fiat-Revelli Modello 1914 at him. (4-5)
The machine gun jams, however, and one ANZAC soldier shoots him with his Lewis Automatic Machine Gun. (4-4)
The ANZAC decide to go into the trenches and take Arditi by surprise. One Arditi soldier fires his Cannone da 65/17 modello 13 at them, but misses. He decides to throw a Besozzi hand grenade at them instead. It blows up, and sends one ANZAC member flying of the trench. (3-4)
The Arditi soldiers then enter the trench to take out their enemies. One soldier is taken out though by an ANZAC soldier with his Lee-Enfield. (3-3)
The soldier then retreats to safer distance. The two sides then enter a firefight. One Arditi soldier shoots an ANZAC solider in the head with his Carcano. (2-3)
He is taken out though by an ANZAC soldier with a Enfield Mk II Revolver. that same soldier is killed by an Arditi soldier with a Glisenti Model 1910. (1-2)
The ANZAC leader hides from the bullets and hurls a Mills bomb at one Arditi soldier. The bomb blows up, opening his face with shrapnel. (1-1)
He pulls his Billhook and carefully walks across the trench. He is soon ambushed by the Arditi solider with his Trench Knife. The two swing and slash until they enter a lock. The ANZAC soldier then kicks the Arditi man in the knee, breaking the lock. He then slashes him in neck, killing him as blood gushes out the wound. (1-0)
The ANZAC leader tips his hat as sign of respect and leaves the trench, mourning the lives of those who were killed.
Winner: ANZAC
Expert's Opinion[]
The Arditi and ANZACs may not have been too far apart in terms of training, but the latter's arsenal which dominated that of the former by miles brought the ANZACs a sweeping victory.