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The II Anzac Corps was an Australian and New Zealand First World War army corps formed in Egypt in February 1916 as part of the reorganization of the Australian Imperial Force following the evacuation of Gallipoli in November 1915. This corps, along with the I Anzac Corps, replaced the original Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC).
General Alexander Godley , commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, assumed command of the corps after the I Anzac Corps embarked for France in late March, 1916. The corps initially comprised the two "new" Australian divisions — the Australian 4th and 5th divisions — that had been spawned from the "veteran" 1stThe 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 Fron and 2ndThe Australian 2nd Division was formed from reinforcements training in Egypt on July 10, 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force to fight in World War One . It fought at Gallipoli during the latter stages of the campaign and then moved to the Wester divisions.
In July 1916, following the arrival of II Anzac in France, the Australian 4th Division was swapped for the New Zealand DivisionThe New Zealand Division was a World War I division formed in Egypt in January 1916 following the evacuation of Gallipoli. At the outbreak of war the New Zealand Expeditionary Force contained a single infantry brigade which was combined with the unattache from I Anzac, and II Anzac took over a sector of front-line near ArmentièresArmentieres is a commune and a canton of the departement of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie region, in France. It is the seat of this canton. Its postal code is 59280. The INSEE code is 59017. Communes Armentieres Bois-Grenier Campinghem La Chapelle d'Ar. In mid-July, II Anzac lent the 5th Division to the British XI Corps for a diversionary operation that became known as the Battle of Fromelles .
In the 1917Events January 2 The Royal Bank of Canada takes over Quebec Bank. January 22 World War I: President Woodrow Wilson calls for "peace without victory" in Europe. January 25 The Danish West Indies is sold to the United States for $25 million January 25 Anti- Battle of Messines , prelude to the Third Battle of Ypres, II Anzac was the southernmost of three British divisions to attack the Messines ridge. At this time II Anzac contained the New Zealand Division, the Australian 3rd DivisionThe Australian 3rd Division was a World War One infantry division formed in Australia in March 1916 and which began to arrive in England in July at which time General John Monash was appointed as the commander. The division underwent training on Salisbury and the British 25th Division . The Australian 4th Division was also attached to the corps as reinforcements and was to mount a follow-up attack after the assault by the other three divisions.
Upon the formation of the Australian CorpsThe Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British army in France. Formed on November 1, 1917, the corps replaced I Anzac Co in late 1917, which contained all five Australian divisions, II Anzac was renamed the British XXII Corps .
2 New Zealand military units