ANZAC Q&A - What did the Soldiers Carry Ashore with them at the Landing?

Image: Anzac soldiers landing at Gallipoli in 1915.

Q.   What did the soldiers carry ashore with them at the landing?
A.   On 25 April 1915 the men of ANZAC went ashore in full marching order; each man wore his full uniform, plus webbing equipment, haversack and back pack. Each infantryman carried his rifle and bayonet, two hundred rounds of ammunition, two sandbags, a full water bottle and three days’ rations. In a breast pocket was carried a field dressing and a glass vial of iodine for dressing wounds. Epaulettes on the jacket were left undone to enable the back pack to be dropped as soon as the man got ashore. Orders were given that the generally disliked field service cap (or side cap) was to be worn, however, this order was almost universally ignored, most men going ashore wearing either the Australian slouch hat, the general service (peaked) cap, or the foreign service pattern sun helmet. It is believed that some lightly wounded men drowned in the shallow waters due to the weight of gear being carried.

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