Gallipoli-related items in private collections...

[MARTINRF]

...does anyone own anything interesting - personnel-related, or otherwise - that they know/think could have been associated to the Gallipoli campaign...(8{

[michaeldr]

 

Can you give a date for the tunic? 

[That which he wore at Gallipoli was the older, high collar style. And the peak of the cap is missing its oak leaves.]
You'll find details of his decorations here:-

    

Edited 3 April by michaeldr

[Michelle Young]

In a way yes. This glass cabinet, and some of the contents, were given to me and my husband by CPO C Flook, Drake Btn who served on the peninsula. Mr Flook made the cabinet himself. Even after owning it for 30 plus years, it still smells of his pipe tobacco when you open it. 

[MARTINRF]

...here is an image of Sir Ian - while awarding the Distinguished Service Order in the field April, 1901 - wearing a General's cap without oak leaves upon the peak...also, a picture of him at the November 1915 Westminster Abbey memorial service for Lord Roberts - one year after Lord Roberts' death and just about a month after Sir Ian was relieved of his command of the MEF (on 16 October 1915) - wearing the 1912-pattern officers service tunic...the ribbons upon the tunic do not have any for WW1 service - the ribbon for the 1915 Star came about in April 1917...also there is also no Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour among the ribbons - it was awarded by General Joffre in the field to Sir Ian Hamilton on April 16, 1916...note that the left sleeve of the tunic is noticeably 3 inches shorter than that of the right - a result of his wrist being shattered with his wounding at the Battle of Majuba Hill in February 1881...(8{

[derekb]

I have the sword of Major Archibald Henry Roberts, who after retiring from a distinguished military career, returned to the colours and died Malta from wounds received at Gallipoli.

I found it in a bit of a sorry state at a flea market in Cheshire, I managed to trace Major Roberts story from the Wilkinson Sword serial number.

[MARTINRF]

  

...here is a still image from a short film clip, of General John Monash, taken on the day of his promotion to command I Australian Corps - April 16th, 1918...the cap he is wearing is without any oak leaves upon the peak...(8{

[Mattr82]

I've got some items. I'll share 5 particular Lithgow rifles that I own and have purchased from Britain and Canada over the last 5 years.

All of them have been through the British refurbishment system and subsequently issued out to Britain, Canada and South African forces during WW1 (Markings on them).

Rifles taken by the AIF to the Dardanelles were swapped over with the British in early 1916 prior to embarkation to France.

It's generally noted that rifles that were handed to the Brits after the Gallipoli campaign are Dardanelles veterans as Australia kept all Lithgow production in Australia from Oct 1915 onwards as Britain began supplying Australians with rifles from Oct 1915. More info in the photos from an article.

My 4 bayonets here, 3 are 1915 Lithgows and have been through the British refurb system and the hooked quillon bayonet was presented to representatives from my battalion in 2015 in Turkey for the 100th anniversary. It is marked to NSW and was manufactured in 1909.

And yes, 2 of those rifles that are missing wood are being restored to their former glory..

 

 

 

Edited 5 April by Mattr82

[WhiteStarLine]

On 03/04/2024 at 19:21, MARTINRF said:

.does anyone own anything interesting - personnel-relate

Not actually mine, but a fellow forum member also attends the Sydney WFA meetings.  Last meeting he brought 2 clips of live ammunition from Gallipoli, 1 Turkish, 1 Australian, each clip having its full complement of rounds.

They were given to him by Lieutenant Noel Loutit, who led 2 platoons to the Third Ridge and stayed there until he realised no one else was joining him.

Noel collected them during one of the truces when each side buried their dead.  He brought them back to Australia and many other items, such as the map he used to navigate to Third Ridge and his service revolver.  Drifting off the thread, when he died, the service revolver went to one family member who arranged to give it to another.  With all the furore at the time around automatic weapons in private collections, a lot of war souvenirs were handed in for melting down, including Noel's service revolver.

[Fromelles]

4 hours ago, WhiteStarLine said:

With all the furore at the time around automatic weapons in private collections, a lot of war souvenirs were handed in for melting down, including Noel's service revolver.

I for one feel a whole lot safer knowing this piece of history is now gone forever.

I do wonder why it wouldn't have been offered to a museum first.

Dan

[navydoc16]

Have a full set of Officer Sam brown and Webley holster marked to a Colonel, I researched it all at one stage and put it back in a box. All private purchase gear made by a saddler in Sydney pre-war. I’ll dig it out if it is of any real interest.

I also have a bunch of ground dug relics too 

kind regards

g

[MARTINRF]

...General Sir Ian Hamilton seemed to like to wear the large (great-coat size) General's devices on his uniforms...General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston - in conversation with him at the London ANZAC Day service of April 26th, 1936 - has on the correct, smaller, service tunic devices...they both seem to be wearing the 'No.1 Dress' (blue) version of the service cap - with oak leaves on the peak...(8{

[Coop]

I bought this several years ago when a small museum's contents were sold at auction.  It was billed as a "Gallipoli Medical Stretcher".  No idea of whether that's accurate/true.