Princess Catherine attended a memorial service in London on April 25 to honor Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died in the Gallipoli campaign.
More than 100,000 troops died in the failed Allied effort to secure the Dardanelles
The Gallipoli campaign, part of a British-led effort to defeat the Ottoman Empire, aimed to secure a naval route through the Dardanelles from the Mediterranean Sea to Constantinople, now Istanbul, in Turkey. More than 100,000 troops died in the failed campaign that lasted into 1916.
The tribute comes on Anzac Day, marking the 1915 landings at Gallipoli
The ceremony coincided with Anzac Day, observed annually on April 25 to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landing at Gallipoli in 1915. Princess Catherine laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall during the national service of remembrance.
Analysts note the campaign’s failure reshaped Allied strategy in World War I
Historians cite the Gallipoli defeat as a turning point that led to the withdrawal of Allied forces and a reassessment of Mediterranean operations. The campaign’s high casualty toll contributed to political fallout in Britain, including Winston Churchill’s demotion from the Admiralty.
Why is Gallipoli significant to Australia and New Zealand?
The campaign is regarded as a foundational moment in the national identities of both countries, marking their first major military engagement as independent dominions in World War I.
How many Australians and New Zealanders died at Gallipoli?
Approximately 8,700 Australians and 2,700 New Zealanders were killed during the eight-month campaign, according to casualty figures cited in historical accounts of the Gallipoli campaign.