What does ANZAC stand for?

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It was the name given to the combined military formation made up of soldiers from both countries who fought together in the First World War, beginning with the campaign on the Gallipoli Peninsula from 25 April 1915.

The acronym was first used in late 1914 by clerks at the British headquarters in Cairo, who needed a short way to write the unwieldy name 'Australian and New Zealand Army Corps' on telegrams and orders. The four-letter code became the standard reference for the formation, and the soldiers themselves quickly adopted it as a name. By the time of the Gallipoli landing, troops were already calling themselves Anzacs and signing letters home with the term.

After the First World War, the word ANZAC took on a meaning far wider than the original military formation. It became a generic term for any Australian or New Zealand soldier in any war. The Australian Parliament passed legislation in 1921 protecting the word from commercial misuse, and the federal government still requires permission for the use of 'Anzac' in product names, business names, or trademarks. Anzac biscuits, sold to raise money for the war effort, are one of the few well-established commercial uses.

Australia and New Zealand still mark ANZAC Day jointly on 25 April each year, and Australian Defence Force units retain the Anzac name in some formations. The Royal Australian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy operate Anzac-class frigates, jointly designed and built between the two countries between 1996 and 2006. The relationship between the two countries, often called the trans-Tasman bond, is grounded in the Anzac tradition and is celebrated each year at dawn services and at the Anzac Cove ceremony in Turkey.