The quiet port of Albany, located at the southern tip of Western Australia, played an integral role in dispatching the first convoys of Anzac forces to the battlefields of Gallipoli.
Albany at the Dawn of the Anzac Legend captures this little-known story, 100 years after the ships left the shore. The book takes the reader from scenes of a small settlement in the early years of the 20th century, through to the outbreak of war and the first consignments of the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force assembling in Albany’s King George Sound.
It documents the celebration and mourning that came with the end of the Great War, the origins of the dawn service, and Albany as it stands today – a vital commercial centre for WA’s Great Southern region, a charming tourist destination, and an important connection to Australia’s wartime past.
Outcome.
With strong connections to Albany from decades of working on various projects, I have always been struck by its unique history. Realising that the town was going to be the focus of attention on the Centenary of Anzac with the development of the National Anzac Centre, I discovered that most of the books recounting the Diggers were broad-ranging – Albany had its own Anzac story to tell. A confluence of factors and enthusiasm among the NAC, council, visitor centre and bookshops led us to create this special piece of local history and remembrance.”