“Now imagine you are approaching Wallabi Point.”

As he gave his Anzac Day address at the main ceremony in Taree, David West, representing MidCoast Council, used a local perspective as he asked the crowd to imagine themselves in the shoes of the Anzacs on April 25 1915.

“Seven-hundred-and-forty-seven Anzacs died that morning as they endeavoured to scale that cliff (at the small beach at Gallipoli called Anzac Cove), wading into a hail of ammunition.

“Yet with determination, courage and mateship, these soldiers held their ground against a well prepared and better equipped enemy in a battle some described as industrial scale bloodshed.”

The campaign lasted eight-and-a-half months, with 8709 Australians and 2500 New Zealanders losing their lives and more than 24,000 wounded.

“It is reported that over 86,000 Turkish soldiers lost their lives,” he said.

“What seared the Anzac experience into our young nation’s heart was the sheer scale of the casualties.

“So many of our soldiers never returned and every community in Australia felt the impact.

“Many of the soldiers who volunteered in World War I were very young. Although most were over 18, it was later found that some were as young as 14, having lied about their age at enlistment.

“Although we admire their bravery, we can’t help but imagine how shocking the reality of battle must have been for these young Australians.”

He said Anzac Day was not about glorifying war. “It is about honouring ordinary people who were asked to do extraordinary things for their country and do so at a significant personal cost. More than 101,000 men and women have left these shores never to return.

“Gallipoli was a battle we lost and many ask, why do we celebrate a defeat? A commemoration of this kind is not about victory or defeat. It is beyond those things.

“The Anzacs became legend because of who they were and how well they fought. In their struggle we saw the emergence of what has become known as the Australian spirit; mateship, courage and perseverance in the face of all odds. On Anzac Day we are reminded of the freedom we enjoy and say thank you to the personal sacrifice of our defence personnel, past and present.”