Anzacs

- Season 1

(1985)

Opening in Australia in the year 1914, several men are encouraged to enlist to help the UK war effort. It follows the recruits through their first months of of recruitment, training, and to their first battle: Gallipoli from the first landing in April 1915, the stalemate, the fighting at Lone Pine in August, to withdrawal at the end of the year.

Several months following their retreat from Gallipoli, the ANZACs arrive in France in mid 1916 to be stationed beside the BEF in the Nursery Sector and to partake in the bloody Battle of the Somme during the Pozieres offensive during July-August 1916.

The ANZACs continue to struggle with the dangers and boredom of trench warfare in France during the Somme Winter of 1916-17, which leads on the following year their battles of, The Hindenburg Line, Bullecourt, and Blighty Leave. The Third Battle of Ypres begins in July 1917 leading to more carnage and bravery at Menin Road and Broodseinde Ridge.

The ANZAC supported assault during the Third Battle of Ypres bogs down (in November 1917). Morale begins to sag from the attrition. Then in March 1918, the Germans launch the last-ditched 'Spring Offensive', leading to brutal defensive battles of Amiens, Hazebrouk, and the Battle of Nieppe Forest.

With the defeat of the German offensive, and the entry of the USA in the war ('The Yanks are coming'), the ANZAC'S gear up for the final Allied offensive against the Germans. Meanwhile, Monash is appointed Commander of the five Australian Divisions of ANZAC. The Battle of Hamel is shown. The "Jack ups" are featured, as well as Monash's Big Push (on August 8, 1918), all of which leads to the end of the war in the fairly anti-climatic Armistice of November 11, 1918. Afterword, the surviving members of ANZAC travel back home to Australia to deal with their new lives now ...