ST GEORGE AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR

On 4 August 1914, Great Britain declared war on Germany. Australia, who had just become an independent nation, guaranteed full support for the motherland, Great Britain. Over 400,000 Australians volunteered to join the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) to fight alongside the Great Empire with the French and Russian allies.

 

In September 1914, the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force took possession of German New Guinea and of the neighbouring islands. But, Australia’s first major war operation was not until April 1915, when they were sent to fight against the pro-German Turks to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula.

 

GALLIPOLI & THE ANZACs

 

A joint Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the west coast of Gallipoli on the morning of 25 April 1915. Men who were grocers and tradesmen not long ago, faced a cruel and deadly battle. Initially planned as a quick operation, the fight dragged on for the next eight months until Great Britain ordered retreat and evacuation from the battlefield. The unsuccessful operation cost the lives of over 8,000 Australians and over 2,700 New Zealanders.

 

The landing at Gallipoli marked the first major battle of the ANZACs and the pride and mateship of the soldiers who fought for their newly formed nations have been remembered ever since. Only one year later in 1916, 25 April was officially named Anzac Day and a commemorative service was held in London and in many other cities across Australia and New Zealand.

 

 

Swipe through the timeline for an overview of Australia's major involvement in the First World War:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANZACS ON ALL FRONTS

 

Soldiers of the St George area also fought in combat on the Western Front and in the Middle East. The significant feature of combat in the First World War was the fixed trench warfare. On the front, soldiers lived in and attacked from a maze of long narrow ditches dug into the ground. Troops would rotate through a cycle of trench duties (firing line, support, reserve) before having a rest in the village camps behind the trench lines.

 

Trench life was harsh and dangerous. Soldiers had no privacy and there was a constant possibility of being killed. Food was scarce and pests like rats and lice spread diseases easily. In the Middle East, malaria was a serious problem, and many soldiers died from the mosquito transmitted disease.

 

In the trenches it was muddy, wet, and bitterly cold in the European winter. ‘Trench foot’ was a common medical problem. Soldiers’ feet became swollen and infected through long exposures to dampness and cold.

 

A LASTING IMPACT

 

The First World War continued until 11 November 1918, when Germany surrendered. Over 60,000 Australians died in the conflict and many others were badly wounded or went missing. In total, over 160,000 Australians enlisted in New South Wales for war service. Many families from the St George area were affected by this conflict.