The landing at Anzac Cove

New Zealand and Australian troops were part of the World War I Allied invasion force that landed at what soon became known as Anzac Cove. For eight long months New Zealanders, Australians and troops from Britain and France battled harsh conditions and resolute Ottoman opponents who were desperately fighting to protect their homeland. By the time the campaign ended, some 125,000 men had died: more than 80,000 Ottoman Turks and 44,000 Allied soldiers, including 8500 Australians and 2721 New Zealanders (about a fifth of those who landed on the peninsula). In the history of the Great War, the Gallipoli campaign made no large mark. The number of dead, although horrific, paled in comparison with the casualties in France and Belgium. But for New Zealand, Australia and Turkey, the Gallipoli campaign left a lasting impression on the national psyche. (Source: NZHistory, www.nzhistory.net.nz/landing-of-nz-troops-at-gallipoli-tu...)

This painting is part of the National Collection of War Art held by Archives New Zealand. The National Collection of War Art is composed of about 1,500 artworks, including portraits, battle scenes, landscapes and abstracts, depicting those who served New Zealand in times of war, and the arenas in which they served.