John Smith The ANZACS mini series consists of five 90 minute episodes taking three years to make and was shown in Australia in 1985. The series tries to create the realism of the actual battle conditions, the mood of the times and the spirit of those involved. Some roles were based on actual wartime soldiers, others were added for story telling effect. The series shows the mateship and larrikinism of the Australians as they become an effective fighting force and the appalling conditions the troops experienced as World War 1 battle tactics evolved. The series stated intention was to show modern day Australians the incredible contribution of the Australians in the war who despite making up only 10 percent in numbers, at one point in 1918 held 50 percent of the front lines on the western front. The Australian effort during the first war, except for Gallipoli, having largely been forgotten over the post war years, including up to the present day. While the intent had been to show realism, the result is nevertheless a product of its times and has been described by some as having elements of a soap opera. George Miller (Mad Max, Happy Feet) is one of three directors credited in each episode of the series.The series follows the Victorian eighth battalion, part of the First Australian Imperial Force, and which formed part of the 2nd Brigade 1st Division. The series starts with the outset of war, with many unwitting Australians keen to participate and worried about missing out. The series shows the army recruitment, followed by training and eventual deployment in the early morning of April 25 1915 (which would later become Anzac day) north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean Peninsular (which would later become Anzac Cove). The series then covers the attack on Lone Pine, part of a coordinated campaign to take the Gallipoli Peninsula and consisting of several attacks linking up with additional landings at Suvla Bay by the British. Although Lone Pine was taken and the landings successful, the other objectives met with failure and the result was an eventual withdrawal from Gallipoli.The 8th Battalion in 1916 then finds itself dispatched to France to join the battle in the Western front. After training and deployment to a quiet area of the Somme battlefield, they are eventually "blooded" into the Somme offensive, fighting in the Village of Pozieres, and are one of the few units to take all their objectives. The series shows the concentration of artillery fire in a one mile area as the Germans pour all their efforts into stopping the advance. The battle field was chaotic with no maps, telephone lines cut by artillery and dust and smoke presenting limited oversight by high command. The series also portrays the poor general ship at the time. The way to win the battle of opposing trench lines was through "bleeding the other side white". The side with the greater moral courage would prevail. The cost in human terms was immense. At the time the British were losing 5000 men a week across the front lines. 'There are Australians in the area' was a phrase used by some of the British to reaffirm the earlier reputation of the Australians in the Boer war of being undisciplined. General Haig wanted to reintroduce the death penalty as a court martial punishment. The series shows Sir Keith Murdoch (father of Rupert Murdoch) a journalist, as an adviser to the Australian Prime Minister. Murdoch met with General Haig and the British War Secretary and provided reports back to Australia.The series then covers operations against the Hindenburg line and Arras which either failed or met with limited success and high casualties. The next great offensive is the Battle of Passchendaele. By this time the tactics used consisted of advancing under creeping artillery fire and met with some success, however the weather intervenes and the fighting literally becomes bogged down in mud of Ypres.After the Russian revolution in 1917 and the surrender of Russian forces the German army is strengthened and begins the German Spring Offensive. The Australians are shown repulsing the Germans at Hazebrouck, part of the German operation Georgette. The instructions were to fight to the last man. The Australians played a key role in stopping the German advance, which was attempting to force the British to evacuate France.Lieutenant General Monash meanwhile was given command of the Australian Corps. Alluded to but not fully shown was Keith Murdoch with Australian war historian Charles Bean, arguing for General White over Monash to Billy Hughes the Australian Prime Minister. Under the British 4th Army Commander General Rawlinson, Monash and the Australian Corps, with the support of the British 5th Tank Brigade and elements of the American 66th Brigade launched an attack on Hamel. The operation was notable for its detailed planning and use of tanks together with infantry in spite of the Americans initially refusing to let their troops be commanded by a foreigner.The Battle of Amiens was shown, which was the opening battle of the 100 Days Offensive, which finished with breaching the Hindenburg line, ending the war. Planned and spearheaded by Monash and the Australian Corp and also involving the British 4th under Rawlinson and the Canadian Corps under Currie, this was a battle over open terrain, leaving trench warfare behind. The battle was a coordinated effort between tanks, infantry, artillery and aircraft. After the first day the allies advanced an average of 7 miles, engulfing 5 German Divisions, although the advance was slowed later as the tanks broke down and the infantry outran the artillery. The victory was a major turning point of the war and resulted in General Monash being knighted in the field by King George V, the first time this had occurred in 200 years.The efforts of the Australians during the First World War is fascinating story and a story worth telling and generally very well told in the ANZACS.

lucy-mcginn I also first saw this series on BBC afternoon TV in the '80's at the tender age of 10. I fell in love with it immediately. Already being a fan of the Paul Hogan show, I was delighted to see him in Anzacs. I tried and tried to find it available on anything but the awful 'edited' feature film. After years of searching I have located a website in Oz that has shipped it to me in the UK. Look up EZYDVD on the web and it should give you the address. It was a delight to watch it all from the start - and yes, it was just as brilliant as I remember it being! You can also get other Aussie films (The Shiralee being just one fab example) from here - as long as you have a multi-region DVD player. I would urge anyone to watch this series, it makes me laugh and cry out loud, even 20 years after I first saw it! Jon Blake plays such a good role in Flannegan, it's terrible that he was injured so badly and wasn't able to work again. All the other actors made each episode so real, it's really easy to get involved with the storyline and characters. I find it incredible that the Aussies never really recognised the role played by the "diggers" of WW1 in their own history, except to remember Gallipoli and what a disaster that was. This series should have gone someway to making people remember that it was indeed a World War and we should be grateful for all the help those "diggers" gave in winning the war! WATCH THIS SERIES!!!!!!!

eagledes I refer in these comments to the full 3-video mini-series, not the truncated version or film produced for the American market.In general, a well-produced and directed series which, with a few minor exceptions is probably as close to the true horror and carnage of the First World War as it is possible to get. Most of the minor errors can be explained by the requirements of plotting or pure visual effect and, in my opinion do not seriously detract from the overall truth of the subject matter.It should be remembered that this series was produced for the Australians, whose culture and memory is very different to that of the Americans who seem to have a collective down on this video/film. Perhaps if our North American cousins had come into the war several years earlier and suffered the casualties the Empire did they might have a different view of the series.The feeling throughout the series is of the AIF being abused and butchered by the incompetent British generals - and as a military historian I cannot say the series is wrong. However, other than one short scene, the series does not highlight the fact that the British were suffering just as much under their own generals.All in all I would say the viewer would get a much better idea of what the AIF and World War I was about by seeing this mini series than by viewing Gallipoli, which is generally thought to be historically weak.I would recommend the mini series but not the film or truncated North American video release.

Daniel Taylor Excellant drama that charts the story of an ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corps) volunteer regiment from Gallipoli through to the end of the war. It is a story of tragedy and triumph, laughs and tears and is a series I can't wait to get the opportunity to watch again.