Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does the word ANZAC stand for?

A. The Australian - New - Zealand - Army - Corps

Q. What date is Anzac Day

A. Anzac Day is on the 25th of April.This was the date of the ill fated landing at Gallipoli.ANZAC Day was first celebrated in 1916 with memorial services, commemorating the lives lost in the 8 month period spent by ANZAC forces on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Pressure was brought to bear by returned soldiers and their organisations, and the day became a public holiday in the early 1920s.

Q. How many ANZACS died at Gallipoli

The casualties at Gallipoli were 33 000, including 8000 New Zealanders and over 8000 Australians. Out of 10 000 New Zealanders who fought at Gallipoli 3000 lost their lives and 5000 were wounded. Australian casualties were 26,111 including approx 8,159 deaths

Australian fatalities at Gallipoli

MONTH	KILLED IN ACTION	DIED OF WOUNDS	DIED OF DISEASE	TOTAL DEATHS
April 25-30	643	203	14	860
May	1805	469	24	2,298
June	265	199	9	473
July	143	113	46	302
August	2.054	532	80	2,666
September	145	163	91	399
October	82	84	115	281
November	295	184	120	599
December	50	46	124	220
January 1916	0	19	42	61
Totals	5,482	2,012	665	8,159
				(8,709*)

*A revised estimate, dated January 26, 1919, in the same book gives the total number of Australians killed as 8,709. This larger figure is the accepted official estimate of the total number killed. In all 61,522 Australians lost their lives in the First World War.

Source Australian War Memorial

Q.How do I research an Anzac ?

Australia

A. First you need his name, and any other details about him you can find. I recommend the first place to start is The Australian War Memorials Nominal Roll which is searchable online. Click the link below to go there -

Search - First World War Nominal Roll Database

First World War Nominal Roll

The Nominal Roll provides details of each member who served in the AIF in the First World War. Click Here for more information.

The names appearing on the Nominal Roll are not always in strict alphabetical order so if you can't find the name you are looking for try the page before and after the one you are looking on - also check for different spellings eg: (Waite may be spelt Wait). The following details will appear on this roll -

Regimental No - Important for ordering records

Rank last held - Private, Sergeant, Corporal ect

Surname -

First Names -

Date of Enlistment -

Fate - Whether soldier was K.I.A (Killed In Action)

D.O.W (Died Of Wounds) or R.T.A (Returned to Australia)

Date of Fate -

Once you have this information go to the National Archives link below and for Aust. $16.20 you can order your Anzacs Service Records. These records are also available in digitised form online, for no charge, but it takes some time for them to be available to view.

WW1 Online Service Records

Once you have these records you will be able to see where your soldier fought and it will give you an insight into his war experience. There is an enormous amount of information about WW1 available on the Web and in books. Visit some of the sites in my Links page. This is your heritage - enjoy learning all you can about it.

Digging For Diggers

This book is the definitive guide to researching the military history of a WW1 Digger. In a step by step approach, author Graeme Hosken provides the researcher with all of the information and tools necessary to complete the task.

80 pages plus cover

ISBN 0-9580273-2-3

Published October 2002

Author Graeme Hosken

Published by ADCC Publications.

This book has been shortlisted for The Australian Awards for Excellence in Education Publishing for 2003.

Available from www.anzacday.org - Books

$22.00 aus.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough to any researcher - for more information visit this link - Book Support for Digging For Diggers

You can see a sample of pages from the book and find really valuable information . Listed on this site is the location of many of the Casualty Clearing Sations and Hospitals which may be of assistance to look at once you have the records.

WWI Hospitals and C.C.S

Abbreviations

Q. How do I find what the abbreviations in the War Records stand for

A.The National Archives have a page - Abbreviations used in World War I Service Records

National Archives Abbreviations

Also Peter Dunn has a page on his comprehensive website Australians @ War of military abbreviations and terminology

Peter Dunn's Abbreviations

Medals

For information about War Medals visit this site

It's an Honour

It features information about medals awarded to Australians under the British Imperial system of honours used by Australia from 1901 to recognise its outstanding citizens.

Medals awarded to Australians included those of the Order of the British Empire, military decorations for gallantry, decorations for military service and campaign and long service medals.

Join Mailing Lists

AUS-AIF-L

Topic: A mailing list for anyone who is researching family members who served in the Australian Imperial Forces from 1914- 1919.

For questions about this list, contact the list administrator at

AUS-AIF-admin@rootsweb.com.

Subscribing. to join AUS-AIF-L, send mail to AUS-AIF-L-request@rootsweb.com with the single word subscribe in the message subject and body. To join AUS-AIF-D,(Digest Form) do the same thing with AUS-AIF-D-request@rootsweb.com.

Unsubscribing. To leave AUS-AIF-L, send mail to AUS-AIF-L-request@rootsweb.comwith the single word unsubscribe in the message subject and body. To leave AUS-AIF-D, do the same thing with AUS-AIF-D-request@rootsweb.com.

AUS-MILITARY-L

Topic: on Australian military history and the research of Australian military ancestors from 1788 to the present.

For questions about this list, contact the list administrator at AUS-MILITARY-admin@rootsweb.com.

Subscribing. To join AUS-MILITARY-L, send mail to AUS-MILITARY-L-request@rootsweb.com with the single word subscribe in the message subject and body. To join AUS-MILITARY-D, do the same thing with AUS-MILITARY-D-request@rootsweb.com.

Unsubscribing. To leave AUS-MILITARY-L, send mail to mailto:AUS-MILITARY-L-request@rootsweb.comwith the single word unsubscribe in the message subject and body. To leave AUS-MILITARY-D, do the same thing with AUS-MILITARY-D-request@rootsweb.com.

New Zealand

New Zealand Defence Force

Personnel Archives

Private Bag 905

Upper Hutt

Fax (04) 5275275 or 5275288

E-mail: nzdf.personnelarchives@paradise.net.nz

Copies of service records may be obtained here.

New Zealand Defence Force Records

Currently, all the records are in their original paper state so it is important that submissions are made with as much information as possible, this will assist staff in identifying the correct file. When applying for information it is important that as much of the following information is provided:

Surname.

Full Given Names

Any other names known by

Date and place of birth

Living or Deceased

Service number

Rank

Navy / Army / Air Force

Period of Service / years served

Regiment / Battalion / Unit / etc

Next-of-kin at time of enlistment

Address at time of enlistment

Occupation at time of enlistment

Customer details:

Full name

Full postal address

Phone number or E-mail address

Costs

In accordance with guidelines set by Government the NZDF may, under the Official Information Act, charge for the provision of information to defray costs. Generally the following will apply:

Own service file - no charge.

One individual file within a 12 month period - no charge.

Second, or repeat, requests within the same 12-month period (July to June) - $(NZ)28 per file.

Payments

Cheques should be made payable to The New Zealand Defence Force and overseas payments by a bank draft drawn on a New Zealand Bank. We do not take Credit Card transactions. Payment must be received before a request can be processed.

Researching a WW2 Soldier

2002 saw the launch of a brilliant new website - The World War Two Nominal Roll - This website was created to honour and commemorate the men and women who served in Australia's defence forces and the Merchant Navy during this conflict.

This site contains information from the service records of some one million individuals who served during World War Two.

You may search for service record details by specifying name, service number, honours, place (of birth, of enlistment, or residential locality at enlistment). Once you find an individual service record you can print a certificate of service, if you wish.

WW2 Nominal Roll

What is the recipe for Anzac Biscuits?

Australian Anzac Biscuits - These biscuits were thought to be first made when rations were low in WW1..

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

1 tablespoon of golden syrup

1/2 cup butter/margarine

1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons of boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 150 - 160c.

2. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together.

3. Melt syrup and butter together in a small saucepan.

4. Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter and syrup.

5. Add to dry ingredients and mix well.

6. Place tablespoons of mixture on greased biscuit tray.

7. Bake in a slow oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

8. Store in an airtight container as soon as they have cooled.

* note: you can add currants or sultanas to it as well.