London, Apr, 26, The landing of the Anzacs in Gallipoli was commemorated yesterday by the placing of wreaths on the Cenotaph and by a church service, and subsequently by a British Empire Service League luncheon presided over by Field-Marshal Lord Milne.
Among those present at the luncheon were a number of Gallipoli veterans, ' including Field Marshal Lord Birwood, Commander-in-Cihef of the Anzacs in the Great War, General Sir Ian Hamilton, and four recipients of the Victoria Cross, Special reference was made to the gallantry of their then Turkish foes, and the mention of a Turkish commander was received with: cheers.
Mr. Stanley Bruce, Australian High Commissioner, quoted telegrams exchanged during the day between the Australian. and New Zealand commanders and the Turkish army, which were received with enthusiasm, Mr, Bruce said the Australians in the Jast war fought the Turks like hell, and conceived for them great admiration and great respect, Big Contribution He pointed out that in the last war, with a population under 6,000,- 000, Australia had sent 450,000 troops, and the Dominions as a whole had sent over a million, Since then Australia's population had increased by 50 per cent, and the population of the remainder of the Empire had also greatly increased, This meant, he added, a corresponding increase in the military contribution which the Dominions were able to make in the present war, Moreover in the last war, Australia contributed 600 fying officers, who brought down 300 enemy planes, but under the Empire air scheme for the present war the Australian contribution would be 14,000 pilots, 16,000 other members of air crews, and 27,000 ground personnel.
On effect of this would be a total of 30,000 Australian flying officers as against 600 in the last war, Similar progress, Mr, Bruce said, had been made in Canada, with a greater population than Australia, and also in New Zealand and South Africa, and there could be no doubt that the contribution of the combined Dominions to the war effort would be even more effective than in 1914-1918.
Mr. Bruce expressed the belief that the Dominions and outer part of the Empire would once again be one of the determining factors in achieving victory for the Alies—
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.