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The Australian 1st Division was formed to fight in World War One as part of the 1st AIF in August 1914. It made the first landing at Anzac Cove as part of the Battle of Gallipoli. In 1916 the division was sent to France where it served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war.

After the war ended and the AIF was demobilised, the 1st Division name was revived and assigned to an Australian Citizens Military Forces (reserve) unit.

1 World War One unit history

1.1 Gallipoli

As part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the 1st Division made the initial landing at Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915 as part of the Allied invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula. The 3rd Brigade formed the covering force which landed first, about 4.30am, from battleship tows and destroyerThis article treats on the type of ship. For other things called destroyer , see Destroyer (disambiguation). USS Lassen (DDG-82), an Arleigh Burke class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intes. The 1st and 2nd Brigades followed, landing from transports, and all were ashore by 9am.

While the landing was lightly opposed on the beach by elements of a TurkishTurkey (officially the Republic of Turkey Turkish Turkiye is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part in southeastern Europe. Until 1922 the country was the center of the Ottoman Empire. The Anatolian peninsula, between the Black Sea and the battalion, the Australians were checked short of their objectives by mounting Turkish resistance. Critical fights developed on the left, over the hill known as Baby 700, and on the right on 400 Plateau. The firing line that was established on the first day would largely define the front line of the Anzac battlefield for the remaining eight months of the campaign.

The 1st Division's role in the August OffensiveThe Battle of Sari Bair also known as the August Offensive was the last attempt made by the British to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from Turkey during World War I. The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three mo was to hold the front line and conduct a diversion on 400 Plateau at Lone PineThe Battle of Lone Pine which took place during the Gallipoli campaign, was the only successful Australian attack against the Turkish trenches within the original perimeter of the Anzac battlefield, and yet it was merely a diversion to draw attention from. The resulting battle was the only occasion when a significant length of the Turkish trench line was captured. The division was evacuated from the peninsula in December, returning to Egypt.