*Secure your seat on Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours' Gallipoli Anzac Day Centenary Tour today

Four score and fourteen years ago on 11 November 1918, the German Army accepted the Armistice terms presented by the Allied Forces - drawing to an end four years of World War I hostilities.

Australian historian and founder of Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours, Mat McLachlan said, "During this period (1914 - 1918) more than 324,000 Australian soldiers served overseas, with over 60,000 never returning home - including 45,000 who died on the Western Front and over 8,000 who died on the Gallipoli Peninsula."

"Remembrance Day is an important time for Australians to pause and remember those that fought and died during World War I - and all other conflicts, and for many Australians it is also a time of battlefield pilgrimage, to retrace the footsteps of our fallen ancestors," he added.

From young backpackers who've studied the Anzac legend at school through to families tracing fallen ancestors, travel to significant battlefields is skyrocketing - with Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours experiencing growth of 20% year on year.

"Our most popular tours are those wrapped around significant dates, such as Remembrance Day and Anzac Day - with early bookings for our Gallipoli Anzac Day 2015 Centenary tour being particularly strong, however Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours' offers a range of Group, Flexi, Explorer and Custom tours throughout the year to suit all battlefield interests," said Mr McLachlan.

Looking towards the 2015 Anzac Day Centenary, Mat McLachlan explained that the The Australian and New Zealand Governments, together with Turkish authorities, have announced plans to limit places at the Gallipoli Dawn Service to 8000 Australians and 2000 New Zealanders - with a ballot being drawn to  determine who gets to attend.

However, for those Australians hoping to attend the 2015 Gallipoli commemoration, Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours is finalising negotiations to hold its own Anzac Day Dawn Service at a site nearby Anzac Cove, and will feature a live broadcast of the 'official' service from North Beach.

"We will also be spending five days at Gallipoli over the period, so there will be plenty of time and opportunities for tour goers to see all the key sites," added Mr McLachlan.

For more information, or to secure your place on Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours' Gallipoli Anzac Day Centenary 2015 tour visit: www.gallipolitour2015.com.au

For more information on Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours visit: www.battlefields.com.au

To obtain images or to coordinate an interview, please contact:

Anne Wild / Jessica Thompson

Anne Wild & Associates Pty Ltd - Communications Representatives for MMBT

Phone: +61 2 9440 0414 Mobile: +61 4 05495164 Email: jthompson@awassociates.com.au