"The last of the Anzacs, Alec Campbell, died peacefully in Hobart last night. He was 103. He never recovered from a chest infection that struck him down earlier this week." 17 May 2002.
Alec Campbell became the last Anzac in June 2001, following the death of Gallipoli veteran Roy Longmore in Melbourne, at the age of 106.
The last entry in the roll of honour for Gallipoli was finally made on Thursday, 16th May 2002, when Alec Campbell, the last Anzac and last surviving participant of the Gallipoli campaign, died of pneumonia, aged 103.
Alexander William Campbell (26 February 1899 – 16 May 2002) was the final surviving Australian participant of the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War.
James (Jim) Martin was 14 years old when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He served as a private in World War I. Arriving at Gallipoli in early September 1915, he served in Wire Gully and Courtney's Post among other places.
James Charles Martin (3 January 1901 – 25 October 1915) was the youngest Australian known to have died in World War I. He was only 14 years and nine months old when he succumbed to typhoid during the Gallipoli campaign.
Momčilo Gavrić (Serbian Cyrillic: Момчило Гаврић; 1 May 1906 – 28 April 1993) was the youngest Serbian soldier; he became a soldier at the age of eight. Momčilo Gavrić in Loznica, 1914.
Alec Campbell, the final surviving participant of the Gallipoli campaign, died of pneumonia on 16 May 2002, aged 103. With his passing, Gallipoli ceased to be a part of living memory and Campbell became a symbol for Australia's connection with a mythology that continues today.
In addition to those who died, 392,856 men were injured during the campaign. By far the biggest loser in terms of men who died was the Ottoman Empire. 86,692 of their men died defending Gallipoli.
“The Assassin of Gallipoli” Billy Sing was a cold-blooded killer. This ace Australian sniper cut down 150 Turks. To the Anzacs in the trenches he was “The Assassin”…
Landing at Anzac Cove
Neither side succeeded. Some 8,700 Australians lost their lives and some 18,000 were wounded during the campaign. The most successful operation of the campaign was the evacuation which ended on 19–20 December 1915, conducted under a well-planned deception operation.
It's the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII this year so it's particularly special for those who fought in the deadliest war in history. Of the 600,000 Australians who served during WWII, fewer than 3000 of them are believed to be still alive. It's expected there will be no veterans left in a couple of years time.
On 28 June 1915, young James Martin sailed from Melbourne aboard the troopship Berrima - bound, ultimately, for Gallipoli. He was just fourteen years old. "Soldier Boy" is Jim's extraordinary true story, the story of a young and enthusiastic school boy who became Australia's youngest known Anzac.
An estimated 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served with the Australian Imperial Force in World War I.
"That is, the Turks knew there was an evacuation being prepared but they didn't know exactly when and they didn't know where [the troops] were going.
About 70 million people fought in World War II between 1939 and 1945 and, as of 2022, there are still approximately 167,000 living veterans in the United States alone.
Over 50,000 Australians served on Gallipoli during the eight month campaign and over 8,700 lost their lives, while some 18,000 were wounded. The evacuation, which was completed over 19–20 December 1915, was considered a success, with very few men becoming casualties.
World War II was the most destructive war in history. Estimates of those killed vary from 35 million to 60 million. The total for Europe alone was 15 million to 20 million—more than twice as many as in World War I.
Virtually since he was booted from the British Admiralty in 1915 for his role in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign, Winston Churchill has been vilified for masterminding the venture, one of Britain's worst defeats in World War I.
According to Charles Bean's Official History, Fred Pollack was the last Australian off Gallipoli and only narrowly escaped being left behind. Noted Bean: “He had obtained permission for special reasons to have a rest in his dugout, having previously arranged with his mates to call him before they left.
In the winter of 1915, in the weeks before the final evacuation of Gallipoli, the soldiers endured freezing night time temperatures and an estimated 16,000 suffered from frostbite and 280 men froze to death. Some cases were so serious that amputations were necessary.
The evacuation of Anzac and Suvla was completed on 20 December 1915, a few days short of eight months after the landing. The campaign ended on 9 January 1916 when British forces completed the evacuation of Cape Helles. What other nationalities were at Gallipoli?
Private John Condon was long believed to have joined the army aged 14 in 1914 by pretending he was 18. A year later he was killed in a gas attack at the Second Battle of Ypres and his body wasn't recovered for another 10 years.
Navy Veteran Calvin Leon Graham became the youngest World War II soldier at the age of 12, and the youngest recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. During World War II, it was not unusual for American boys to lie about their age in order to enlist.