Review: Anzac Treasures: The Gallipoli Collection of the Australian War Memorial

Anzac Treasures: The Gallipoli Collection of the Australian War Memorial by Peter Pedersen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

April 25: ANZAC Day. A day during which we recognise the Australian and New Zealand men and women who have fought (and are today fighting) in conflicts around the world. If you've ever been to a dawn service, you'll know how incredibly stirring this day is, and how important it is to us as a nation. We are proud to honour those who serve(d).

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra hosts an extensive range of relics from all the conflicts Australia has taken part in. This book focuses on the collection commemorating the Gallipoli landing of April 25, 1915, but takes the time to tell us the stories that go with each item.

It's brilliantly compiled and, accompanied by photographs, it creates a very realistic picture of how the campaign went, and its lasting impact across time.

It's not exactly 'fun' reading, but it is particularly fascinating to read the personal stories, see photographs and read letters written by the men in the trenches. I was particularly impressed by their eloquence, and it's such a poignant reminder of just how much times have changed.

I also thought it was written well, in the sense that there's no grandness to the actions - the author doesn't stray from mentioning how people were afraid, and to defend the actions of those considered cowardly at the time, and how mistakes were made. This is a behind-the-scenes glimpse of all the heroism we hear about; a look beyond the glorified views of war. The reality is, it was messy, bloody, and terrifying.

I'll admit that I skimmed a fair bit, because it's incredibly dense, but the pictures and notes with them are enjoyable to peruse, and it's definitely something I'll go back to. There's a lot of knowledge and history here, and I think it's important for people to know these stories.

An absolute must for war-buffs, patriots and history lovers, and highly recommend for anyone interested in reading something that goes beyond the surface of Australia's military history.

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