Ruby Rose has paid tribute to her great-grandfather as Australians and New Zealanders remember their war dead on Anzac Day.

Anzac Day is marked on 25 April each year and commemorates the day in 1915 that saw troops from the two countries, known as Anzacs, fight at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.

The Australian actress and model’s relative Alec Campbell led a remarkable life and when he died at the age of 103 in 2002, he was the last survivor of the campaign.


“Love to my great grandad – lived to be 103,” Ruby wrote on Twitter on Wednesday (25Apr18). “Becoming the last remaining ANZAC. Amazing story behind this man. After he was the “forgotten ANZAC” for many years because he lived in Tasmania. So he said.. I’m not going until they are all gone. Then they won’t forget haha (sic).”

Recalling her last meeting with Alec, she added, “I saw him last at his 100th birthday I was nervous/young and had so many questions. He looked me up and down and with no uncertainty said I was not possibly his relation. And maybe I was lost..then after the soul-crushing pause he said: “you’re too beautiful to be related to me”…He always had the jokes… when he saw my mum he decided maybe I was indeed the family. and as sweet as that was he also had one eye and even that was going so I probably looked great, all colors and fuzzy vision (sic). But I’ll take it!”

Alec joined the Australian Army at the age of 16 and served as a stores carrier during the fighting at Gallipoli. In 2000, he was named as an ‘Australian Legend’ and appeared on a commemorative stamp.

Although the Gallipoli campaign was a military failure, Australians and New Zealanders celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of their soldiers in fighting on against the odds despite suffering heavy casualties.

Soldiers who fought in later conflicts are also remembered in a similar way in the U.K. and U.S. on Remembrance Day and Veterans Day.