 By the end of the war the AIF had gained a reputation as a well @-@ trained and highly effective military force , enduring more than two years of costly fighting on the Western Front before playing a significant role in the final Allied victory in 1918 , albeit as a smaller part of the wider British Empire war effort . Like the other Dominion divisions from Canada and New Zealand , the Australians were viewed as being among the best of the British forces in France , and were often used to spearhead operations . 63 Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross . This reputation came at a heavy cost , with the AIF sustaining approximately 210 @,@ 000 casualties , of which 61 @,@ 519 were killed or died of wounds . This represented a total casualty rate of 64 @.@ 8 percent , which was among the highest of any belligerent for the war . About another 4 @,@ 000 men were captured . The majority of casualties occurred among the infantry ( which sustained a casualty rate of 79 percent ) ; however , the artillery ( 58 percent ) and light horse ( 32 percent ) also incurred significant losses . 
