World War 1 - By Roimata

In 1915, in World War 1 thousands of soldiers fought for Australia and New Zealand so they can keep us safe. We wear poppies because the place that the war was taking action in was a field filled with poppies. A - N - Z - A - C stands for Australia, New Zealand, Army, Corps. Observed on 25th April each year, Anzac Day was originally to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli and Turkey against the Ottoman Empire during World War 1. While we were at assembly we had to gather at the Memorial to remember the people that passed away, then we had to remain silent to show respect to them.

The first NZ soldier to die was Private William Ham. He was fighting in Turkey in an area that is known as Suez Canal. They were fighting against the Ottoman Empire which is Turkey. He died 2 days after the attack because of his extreme injuries. Austria Hungary was the first country to declare war on Serbia. Russia mobilizes. Germany warns Russia to stop mobilizing. Russia says mobilization is against Austria-Hungary only. In August 2th 1914, Britain asked New Zealand to seize German Samoa as a ‘great and urgent Imperial service’. New Zealand’s response was swift. Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Logan, the 1400-strong Samoa Advance Party of the New Zealand expeditionary force landed at Apia on 29 August.

Did you know that in World War 1 they did not only have soldiers in the army but they had different types of animals to help with things like carry ammunition, pull guns and carry wagons. Dogs were used able to help send messages to help search for wounded soldiers and carry medication. Dogs were a better choice to use because they were faster and more quicker than a soldier, so they would have more of a chance to survive if they had to run across the battlefield to send a message to others. If someone gets caught they would let them go because people didn’t want to kill others. They would just surrender and send them back to have peace.

I have learnt that on Anzac Day heaps of people from Australia and New Zealand has fought for us and they surrender because they wanted everybody to be free and have peace in every country. I feel really bad for the people that went to war, some people from the war came back and some soldiers passed away and their families were so sad. “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.”