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Brittian delcares war
The war begain on 4th of August. Germany invades Belium to outflank the French army. Due to a treaty signed beetween Brittian and Belium, Brittian delcares war on Germany, this then marked the start of WW1.
Prime Minister Andrew Fisher declared that Australia would support Great Britain in the war against Germany
Image: shows troops boarding ship at Port Melbourne (primary) -
Australian Imperial Forces recruitment begins.
More that 416,000 Australians enlisted in the Australian imperial force. Many belives that war woud be an adventure, a chance to see the world. Others felt it was thier duty to serve thier country. image: AIF badge and symbol (Primary) -
The Red Cross Is established.
The Red Cross is established to rasie funds for 'confort items' for the Australian troops. This shows how the war impacted the whole country, everybody did there bit to help. People donated old beat sheets to be used as bandages, socks were knitied, scrap mettal was collected to be made in to wepons, woman took over the mens jobs.
Image: red cross badge -
German New Guinea.
Australian Expeditionary Force takes possession of German New Guinea and nearby islands.
Image: HMS encounter and Sopwith Camel. (primary) -
AIF train in Egypt
Australian Imperial Forces arrived in Egypt from Albany Western Australia,for intensive training, Major-General Sir William Birdwood was in comand. There was a lack of equipment, so the training was not very good. The Australians got a reputation for stealing food!!!! -
Gallipoli Landing (part two)
. The young soldiers from 9th, 10th, 11th battalions climbed out of the landing boats, bullets hit the water, lives already lost. They had landed in the mouth of ferocious Turkish machine guns. And were met with force fighting, some of it hand to hand. The fighting continued, and hardly slowed within the first week. At least 2300 died in the first day alone.
This image is a Priamary source. -
Gallipoli Landing (part 1)
Before dawn on April 25th, 1915, thousands of young Australian and New Zeeland soldiers landed at the small cove, later known as ANZAC cove. This was not the intended landing spot, due to miss calculations, the troops landed on a beach surrounded by rocky cliffs and steep slopes.The Turkish forces had expected an attack coming soon, and after a spark was let out of one of the steam boat funnels, the Ottoman were ready and armed to defend before the ANZAC troops had even reached the shore. -
Sinking of the Luisitana
The ocean liner left New York on May 1st 1915. After been spotted by a German U-boat, a torpedo was set off, hitting the ship, sinking in only 18 minutes. 1,153 passengers and crew drowned, 128 of them were Americans. This brought America into the war.
Image: 'New York Times' cover story of the sinking. (Primary) -
Battle of Somme Begins
The Battle of Somme began on 1st July 1916; it was a series of battles fought along the Somme of France. The aim was to destroy Germanys reserved man power. The British army faced almost 60,000 casualties, a third of those were deaths. The Australians main contribution was offensive fighting around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. The battle of Somme placed a strain on the Australian forces. Image: This image was taken on 1st of July and shows the 1st Battalion of the Irish Troops (primary source) -
Battle of Fromelles.(1)
The battle of Fromelles is described as “the worst day in Australian History” It was the first Battle on the Western front fought by Australians. The attack was intended to draw the Germans to the south, away from the Somme. In the first night, Australia experienced 5,533 causalities and 2,000 deaths. Many soldiers were left wounded in no man’s land and cried “don’t forget my cobber.” -
Battle of Fromelles (2)
.” The next 3 days were spent trying to save their wounded mates. A German soldier who fought in this battle was Corporal Adolf Hitler. Image: Australian prisoners after the Battle of Fromelles. (primary). -
Battle of Pozières
At Pozieres the Australians faced massed artillery and machine guns. They lost 23,000 men in less than 7 weeks. Some British offer ices claimed that no troops in history had ever had to stand the sheling inflected on the diggers at Pozieres. Despite winning their objectives, Pozieres angered the Australians, they felt as they were been used badly by the British generals.
Image: Street of Pozieres after the battles. (priamary) -
Battle of Romania
This battle fought in the Middle East signified the end of the Turkish threat on the Suez Canal. The British and Australian defenses were camped admist a series of large, towering sand dunes. Their position was held throughout the 4 of august.
Image: troops lay dead after battle. (Primary) -
Battle of Magdhaba
The ANZACS attacked the Turks that were blocking the way to Palestine. A charge by the 10th light horse secured much needed water supply. This battle helped to unlock the way to the final defeat of Turks from the Sinai and insuring the security of the Suez Canal.
Image: Australian and Ottomen lay dead. (Primary) -
Third Ypres – Mein road and Polygon wood.
The Australian 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th divions joined the Third Battle of Ypres, which had already been going on for almost 2 moths. The fighting was bloody and German concrete pillboxes blocked some Australian progress. Australia managed to push the line forward by a few Kilometres over a week, but almost 11,000 casualties came as a result. Image: Battle of Mein Road by Power, H Septimus. (Primary) -
Australian light horse charge on Beersheba
The Australian 4th and 12th light horse regiments conducted a daring cavalry charge on in trenched Turkish defence around Beersheba. This was a critical win that helped the allies finally take Damascucus.
Image: this image shows the light horsemen and thier horses. (Primary Source) -
(1) Villers-Bretonneux
The Germans had taken Villers–Bretonneux and been able to place a large number of men and guns around the town and along the railway. The Australian's plan was a surprise night attack. About 1,500 men from the 51st and 52nd Battalions attacked the south, and the 57th, 59th and 60th Battalions (2,400 men) would attack from the north of the town. The attack started at 10pm. -
(2) Villers-Bretonneux
”By the morning, the AIF troops had surrounded the town and by the end of the day had control over Villers-Brentonneux. This was a very successful battle for the Australians; it ended the German offensive on the Somme.This picture is an oil painting by Will Longstaff, this is a Primary source. -
John Monash
John Monash was born on 27th June 1865, he was a Civil engineer. Monash promoted to lieutenant general. After this Australian casualties and deaths lowered. His first battle as lieutenant genral was described as “the perfect battle” Monash planned a very successful attack at the battle of Amiens, which had an impact on the end of the war. John Monash was knighted by King George V after the battle. (this is not exsact date but this took place sometime in may)
Image: Primary -
Battle of Hamel
Hamel was Monash’s first battle as Commander. In only two hours all objectives were met. This was the first battle in ww1 with American troops acting as part of an offensive. 1,400 Germans were captured and Australia suffered 1,062 casulties and 800 deaths. This battle was a successful one for the Australians.
Image: Australian and American troops resting at Hamel. (Primary) -
Second Battle of Marne
German General Erich Ludendorff planned a diversionary offensive in July 1918, in an attempt to distract the Allied troops from Belgium and to win World War I. Due to a french counter attack, Germany failed. This German defeat signifyed the starts of the Allies advances.
Image: Primary source -
Battle of Amiens.
The battle of Amiens was fought in France, between the allied forces (Brittan, Australia, Canada, France, and USA) and Germany. This battle marked the end of trench warfare on the Western front. The alies advanced over seven miles on the first day, which was one of the largest advances in ww1. Germany lost a total of 30,000, and the alies lost around 8,000. The battle was very successful for the Allied forces and led to the end of WW1.Image: Australian troops with a tank. (Primary) -
Mont st.quentin
By the 3rd September 1918 the AIF had taken the strategic position on Mont st. Quienuf and the whole of Peronne. The Germans suffered severe loses and were forced into a mass retreat. It was claimed by many at the time as the finest single defeat of the war.
Image: Aussie trops walking along a communication trench. (Primary source) -
The Hindenburg Line Battles
The Hindenburg line was the last of German army defences. In September, Australian and British forces secured positions ready for an attack. The first attack on 18th September and the second the second attack on the 29th of September finally broke the line.
Image: Breaking the Hindenburg Line, by Will Longstaff. (Primary) -
Armistice
The balance of power between the Allies and the central powers had shifted in favour of the Allies. Germany was running out of money and resources, and had been pushed out of a lot of their strong areas, due to battles won by the allied forces, so as a result they retreated. An Armistice was signed on 11th of November, between the Germans and the allies. Image: Troops rejoice at the end of the war, (Primary)
