II ANZAC Corps
Active	1916–1917
Country	Australia New Zealand
Allegiance	British Empire
Type	Corps
Size	3 infantry divisions and support elements
Engagements	World War I Western Front
Commanders
Notable commanders	Alexander Godley

The II ANZAC Corps (Second 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, under the command of William Birdwood. This corps, along with the I ANZAC Corps, replaced the original Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC).^[1]

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" 1st and 2nd divisions.

In July 1916, following the arrival of II Anzac in France, the Australian 4th Division was swapped for the New Zealand Division from I Anzac, and II Anzac took over a sector of front-line near Armentières.^[2] 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.^[3]

In the June 1917 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 Division and the British 25th Division.^[2] 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.^[2]

Upon the formation of the Australian Corps in December 1917,^[4] which contained all five Australian divisions, II Anzac was reformed as the British XXII Corps.^[5]

References[link]

See also[link]

• Military history of Australia during World War I
• Military history of New Zealand during World War I

v t e Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) Expeditionary Forces 1st Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) New Zealand Expeditionary Force (1st NZEF) Corps Australian and New Zealand Army Corps I ANZAC Corps II ANZAC Corps Australian Corps Desert Mounted Corps Divisions Australia 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Australian Mounted Division ANZAC Mounted Division New Zealand New Zealand Division New Zealand and Australian Division Brigades Australia 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 1st Light Horse 2nd Light Horse 3rd Light Horse 4th Light Horse 5th Light Horse New Zealand New Zealand Rifle Brigade New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade Military history during World War I Australia New Zealand