April 25 marks the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) in Gallipoli during the First World War in 1915.
The units fought their utmost in the conflict against the Ottomans but ultimately failed, resulting in the withdrawal of all Entente forces from the peninsula on Jan. 9, 1916. Over 100,000 serving in the corps died in Gallipoli.
Since then, the date has been immortalized in the Aussie and Kiwi common ethos as a day to commemorate all who have served in both of their countries' armed forces.
Commemorations began Wednesday night (Apr. 24) with sporting events and evening vigils by volunteer groups.
Australian public broadcaster ABC reported that multiple dawn services were held on Thursday morning in both Australia and New Zealand, and even in the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea, where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commemorated the holiday by trekking the tropical forests where Australian and American soldiers fought the Japanese in 1942.
Albanese became the first sitting Australian prime minister to complete a section of the track and commemorated the day at the site of the battleground alongside his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape, the ABC reported.
At the National Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, incoming Australian Defence Force (ADF) chief of staff Vice Adm. David Johnston delivered the commemorative address.
"We know how many Australians have died in the service of our country but we do not know how many grieve each Anzac Day. How many are grieving amongst us today?" he said.
"I ask you all to hold in your hearts those who mourn on Anzac Day and remember those whose service left them wounded in body, mind or spirit."
Later that morning, David Hurley commemorated his final Anzac Day as Australian Governor-General as he is scheduled to step down on July 1 and be replaced by Sam Mostyn.
Anzac Day commemorations would also be held in Villers-Bretonneux, France, and Gallipoli in Turkey.
More sporting events are to be expected later in the day, such as an AFL game between Essendon and Collingwood.
