Australia's involvement in the battle of Gallipoli

After Germany delivered a crushing blow to Russia at the battle of Tannenberg, the Russians were threatened by a Turkish advance through the Caucasus and appealed to their allies for assistance. Gaining control of the Dardanelle Strait would re-establish communications with Russia and open up wheat and shipping locked in the black sea by turkey. The allies planned to storm up the Dardanelle Strait and shell Constantinople (now Istanbul) then proceed to the Ukrainian port …

…area of land a little over half the size of a square mile. That small patch of beach was home to twenty thousand men from April to December 1915. The British cabinet ordered the evacuation of the Anzacs on December 7th 1915. It took place from December 18th to 19th; the operation was declared a brilliant success. The landing at Gallipoli was Australia's first major military campaign, over the entire eight months 18 500 men were wounded and 7 500 killed.