Spirit of mateship forges national identity
THIS Anzac Day marks 101 years since the first Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli in the pre-dawn darkness on   April 25, 1915.
And, according to the Australian War Memorial, it is a century since the first Anzac Day marches were held.
But Anzac Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which Australia remembers those who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. 
The spirit of Anzac, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity.
What does ANZAC stand for?
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federated nation for only 13 years, and the new federal government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world.
When Britain declared war in   August 1914 Australia was automatically placed on the side of the Commonwealth.
In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in order to open the Dardanelles to the allied navies.
The ultimate objective was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany. It was a highly strategic move.
The Australian and New Zealand forces landed at Gallipoli on   April 25, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders.
What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months.
At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated from the peninsula, with both sides having suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships.
More than 8000 Australian soldiers had been killed.
The Gallipoli campaign had a profound impact on Australians at home, and   April 25 soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who died in the war.
Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign left a powerful legacy.
The creation of what became known as the "Anzac legend" became an important part of the identity of both nations, shaping the way they viewed their past and future.
Early commemorations In 1916, Anzac Day was held on   April 25 for the first time.
It was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, a march through London, and a sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt.
In London more than 2000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets; a London newspaper headline dubbed them "the knights of Gallipoli".
  Marches were held all over Australia; in the Sydney march convoys of cars carried soldiers wounded at Gallipoli, and their nurses.
For the remaining years of the war Anzac Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns.
During the 1920s Anzac Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the more than 60,000 Australians who had died during the war.
In 1927, for the first time, every state observed some form of public holiday on Anzac Day.
By the mid-1930s all the rituals we now associate with the day - dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, two-up games - were firmlyestablished as part of Anzac Day culture.