Rob Rattenbury: Our lives could have been so different without the Anzacs 24 Apr, 2021 05:00 PM 5 minutes to read New Zealand casualties at Gallipoli totalled 2779. Photo / 123RF OPINION: Anzac Day this year marked 106 years to the day that New Zealand invaded Turkey side by side with several other nations including Britain, France and Australia. Turkey's military did what all militaries do, and defended its homeland from the invaders from across the seas. The Gallipoli campaign was an effort to take Turkey out of World War I, with the target of reaching Constantinople (Istanbul). The Allies did not take into account the ferocity and ability of the Turkish forces. By the end of the six-month campaign the Allies were still stuck on the beaches where they had landed, with little ground gained, and it was decided that retreat was in order.