 Lieutenant @-@ General William Birdwood , commanding the inexperienced Australian and New Zealand Army Corps ( ANZAC ) , comprising the Australian Division and two brigades of the New Zealand and Australian Division , was ordered to conduct an amphibious assault on the western side of the Gallipoli Peninsula . The New Zealand and Australian Division normally also had two mounted brigades assigned to it , but these had been left in Egypt , as it was believed there would be no requirement or opportunities to use mounted troops on the peninsula . To bring the division up to strength , Hamilton had tried unsuccessfully to get a brigade of <unk> attached to them . In total ANZAC strength was 30 @,@ <unk> men . 
