II Anzac Corps

II Anzac Corps
Credit line: Donated by Lance Corporal C.H. Lorking of the 53rd Battalion · Public domain · source
Unit name	II Anzac Corps
Caption	Soldiers of the corps in France, 1917
Dates	1916–1917
Country	British Empire
Branch	Australian Imperial Force; New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Type	Corps
Role	Infantry; combined arms
Size	Corps
Commanders	William Birdwood; Alexander Godley; John Monash
Battles	Battle of Messines; Third Battle of Ypres; Battle of the Somme

II Anzac Corps II Anzac Corps was a First World War corps-level formation composed primarily of Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force units formed on the Western Front. It served under British British Expeditionary Force command and fought in major engagements including the Battle of the Somme, Battle of Messines (1917), and the Third Battle of Ypres, drawing on officers and troops with experience from the Gallipoli Campaign and the Western Front (World War I). The corps integrated divisions, artillery, engineers, and support units from across the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Dominion forces.

Formation and Structure

II Anzac Corps was established in early 1916 following reorganization after the evacuation from Gallipoli Campaign and the expansion of the Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The corps structure mirrored British corps doctrine developed by the British Expeditionary Force headquarters under commanders such as Sir Douglas Haig and incorporated divisional headquarters, corps artillery, cavalry, Royal Engineers, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Royal Flying Corps elements. Initially it grouped formations drawn from the 2nd Division (Australia), 5th Division (Australia), and New Zealand Division before later reassignments with formations like the 4th Division (Australia), reflecting operational demands in sectors from the Somme (river) to Flanders. Corps-level staff balanced liaison with the General Headquarters (GHQ) and coordination with neighboring formations including I Anzac Corps, X Corps (British Army), and III Corps (British Army).

Operational History

Deployed to the Western Front, II Anzac Corps first saw major action during the Battle of the Somme where Australian and New Zealand elements had been heavily engaged at locations such as Pozières and Flers-Courcelette. In 1917 the corps participated in the Battle of Messines (1917) where deep mining operations and coordination with the Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery supported a successful set-piece attack that secured the Messines Ridge near Ypres. During the Third Battle of Ypres—including actions at Passchendaele—the corps endured mud, artillery barrages, and infantry assaults against German formations such as the German 4th Army and units under commanders like Friedrich Sixt von Armin. The corps also engaged in trench raids, logistics operations involving the Royal Army Service Corps, and air cooperation with the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force. Its operations intersected with major strategic directives from Douglas Haig and multinational coordination with forces from the Canadian Expeditionary Force and Newfoundland Regiment.

Commanders and Leadership

Command of the corps was held by senior officers with experience from Gallipoli and early Western Front fighting. Notable commanders associated with the corps’ leadership and higher command relationships include William Birdwood, who oversaw ANZAC formations at Gallipoli and on the Western Front; Alexander Godley, a New Zealand officer influential in the formation of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and command decisions; and divisional leaders such as John Monash, whose methods influenced combined-arms tactics. Corps chiefs of staff and senior artillery commanders worked alongside staff officers who had served under figures like Herbert Plumer and Henry Rawlinson, reflecting a staff culture shaped by campaigns at Amiens and in the Ypres salient.

Order of Battle

Throughout its existence II Anzac Corps' order of battle changed with the ebb and flow of campaign requirements. Major constituent formations at various times included the 2nd Division (Australia), 4th Division (Australia), 5th Division (Australia), and the New Zealand Division, supported by corps troops drawn from the Royal Artillery, including heavy and siege batteries, corps-level troops from the Royal Engineers, signal units from the Royal Corps of Signals, cavalry squadrons linked to the Household Cavalry Regiment, and pioneer battalions. Attached units also included Territorial Force formations such as elements from the West Yorkshire Regiment and Indian Army contingents in liaison roles with medical units drawn from the Royal Army Medical Corps and ambulance services. Logistics and supply were provided by the Royal Army Service Corps and transport units coordinated with railheads at hubs like Amiens and Arras.

Personnel and Casualties

Personnel in II Anzac Corps comprised Australians and New Zealanders supplemented by British staff and specialist detachments from the Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Royal Army Service Corps. Casualty figures reflected the heavy fighting of the Somme and Ypres; battalions experienced high attrition in actions at Pozières, Messines Ridge, and Passchendaele. Wounded and killed were evacuated to casualty clearing stations and base hospitals in sectors served by transport units and medical officers drawn from institutions such as the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. Decorations awarded to personnel included honors listed by London Gazette recipients, with soldiers receiving awards such as the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order, and Military Cross for actions while serving in corps formations.

Legacy and Commemoration

The legacy of II Anzac Corps is preserved in battle histories, regimental museums, and memorials across Australia, New Zealand, and battlefields in Belgium and France. Commemorative sites include memorials at Messines (Ploegsteert Memorial), the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Historians have examined the corps' role in shaping tactics adopted by the Australian Army and New Zealand Army during the interwar period and the Second World War. Annual remembrance ceremonies and records in archives such as the National Archives of Australia and Archives New Zealand ensure continued study of the corps’ contributions alongside the broader narratives of the First World War and the ANZAC tradition.

Category:Corps of the British Army in World War I Category:Military units and formations of Australia in World War I Category:Military units and formations of New Zealand in World War I