ANZAC BISCUITS

ANZAC Day occurs on 25 April every year. On this day we again remember and honour all Australians who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world, including the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Incredibly, more than 100 years have passed since Australia’s involvement in the First World War. The ANZAC Centenary (from 2014 to 2018) commemorates Australia’s involvement in World War I and remembers anyone who has served in a war or conflict as well as those men and women still serving in the Defence Forces today.

It was on 1 November 1914 that the first convoy of Australian and New Zealand ships left Albany in Western Australia to transport the ANZACs to the battlefields of World War I. When most people think of the ANZACs, they think about the infamous landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. The soldiers disembarked from their ships and landed on the beach at dawn, to a volley of Turkey fire from the cliffs above. Here is the failure and the legend of the ANZACs: they had landed in the wrong position. They had meant to land on a flat beach where they would have had a better chance of reaching the shore to attack enemy troops. Instead, the ANZACs and the Turkish troops reached a deadlock, with neither able to take any new ground for months. The ANZACs began evacuating on 20 December 1915. The Australians had spent only eight months in Gallipoli, but in this short time had suffered 25,000 casualties, including 8700 deaths.The bravery and endurance of Australian troops in the face of death is what turned this horrific event into a legend that has helped to shape our country.

Although Gallipoli represents different things to different people, the story of the ANZACs who fought at Gallipoli is one of perseverance and courage in the face of failure and despair. The 102nd anniversary of this moment will commemorated in many ways around Australia and around the world.

LEST WE FORGET

I found this original recipe in my Australian History book collection.

There is another recipe below the pictures.

ANZAC BISCUITS

Makes 20

125 grams butter

1/4 cup Golden Syrup

2 tablespoons boiling water

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees c.

Grease a couple of baking trays or line them with non-stick baking paper.

Melt butter in a small pan, add the syrup, water and baking soda, it will froth up. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the butter mixture and mix well. Put spoonfuls of mixture on the prepared trays, approx. 5 cm apart, flattening them slightly. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.