Each year Australia and New Zealand celebrate ANZAC Day as the two nations' memorial day for their citizens who died in two World Wars and in the series of smaller conflicts each nation has taken part in.
On April 25th 1915 the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) landed at Gallipoli, the peninsular guarding the Dardanelles, the sea route to Constantinople (today Istanbul) in Turkey. This was the first time that the two nations' troops went into combat as distinct national forces.
Commemorations of the Gallipoli landing began in 1916, and after World War 1, New Zealand, like Australia, established ANZAC Day as the national day of commemorations for all those who died in the 'Great War'.
With the onset of World War II, ANZAC Day was expanded to cover all servicemen and women who died in their nation's service. Today ANZAC Day commemorations include those who died in South East Asia, Korea, and on peacekeeping missions since WWII.
While our image of the original ANZAC Day is that of infantry fighting among the cliffs, ravines and ridges of Gallipoli, there was a maritime aspect to that campaign and New Zealanders played a part at sea also.