The West Australian ramps up ANZAC commemorations
The West Australian newspaper is running a series of special features as it ramps up its coverage ahead of next year’s 100th anniversary of Gallipoli.
The release:
The West Australian will be at the forefront of media coverage of this event — as The West Australian was 100 years ago.
Beginning with a wrap on Anzac Day this year, The West Australian has produced a comprehensive editorial archive of special publications and online features to mark the centenary of World War I.
The wrap was a tribute to the Anzacs and it examined the complex factors which brought about the war, how Australia and Western Australia responded and it detailed key battles.
On August 6, The West Australian reproduced its coverage from 100 years ago which announced the outbreak of war between England and Germany and that as a result, Australia too was at war with Germany. This was presented as a wrap of the paper.
The launch of The West Australian’s race to identify the WA Anzacs who appear in the iconic image of the 11th Battalion posing on the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt was marked with a giant reproduction of the photo wrapping the paper on July 26.
The search continues and readers are able to view the Cheops Pyramid image in detail on thewest.com.au.
Using technology developed by the WA Genealogical Society allowing you to zoom in on the faces of the soldiers, readers are asked to submit details of soldiers they’re able to identify.
The majority of the 703 soldiers in the photograph are still to be formally identified.
A weekly in-paper series sharing the stories of some of the men who have already been positively identified, is now running each Wednesday until January 10, 2015 which marks the 100th anniversary of the photograph being taken.
The eyes of the nation will soon turn west as the centenary of the departure of the Anzacs from Fremantle on October 31 and Albany on November 1 is commemorated with a special magazine telling the stories of the soldiers before they embarked and during their voyage to continue their training in Egypt prior to landing on the beaches of Gallipoli.
The magazine, inside The West Australian on Thursday October 23, sets out in detail the various official and community events in Albany, Fremantle and Blackboy Hill during the commemorative period.
Complementing in-paper coverage, The West Australian has a full micro-site, thewest.com.au/anzaccentenary, dedicated to the centenary, including articles, video, live-streaming, and a comprehensive timeline of significant dates.
On Saturday November 1, thewest.com.au/anzac-live will be live streaming the commemorative events taking place in Albany covering the Troop March from 8.45am along York Street, Albany and then the commemorative service which will be held in Anzac Peace Park from 11am.
Anzac centenary editor Malcolm Quekett, said “Australia’s involvement in World War I came at great cost to those who served, as well as their families.
“The centenary of the war provides a timely moment to reflect on the enduring values which the Anzacs forged and to remember and honour the sacrifices they made in our name.” he said.
As part of the coverage, a range of newspapers and magazines have been, and will be, delivered to all West Australian schools to support teaching and learning of this important part of our history.
Source: The West Australian press release
