Dardanelles Banknotes

[Glosters]

British Treasury Banknotes (£1 and 10s.) were overprinted for issue to British troops in the Dardanelles. The notes were sent to Alexandria but as the expedition did not succeed they were never issued. Today, surviving examples make big money. The overprint on the £1 translates as "Piastres Silver 120"

Steve

[Glosters]

and the 10 shilling note:

[PhilB]

Were piastres in use in Turkey at that time? Is a Treasury Banknote the same as an ordinary note? Phil B

[Glosters]

Yes, piastres were Turkish currency at this time.

By law the Bank of England could only issue banknotes with a minimum value of £5. When the war started a law was put through to allow the Treasury to issue notes of £1 and 10s.

Steve

[PhilB]

When I was in the army in Germany we were paid partly in DMarks and partly in BAFs (British Armed Forces notes). The BAFs could be spent in NAAFIs and the like, but not in German shops, pubs etc. I assume the above notes were intended to be accepted by the Turks once the Allies were in a position to dictate what currencies were usable? Phil B

[michaeldr]

Steve

Many thanks for the above images and for revealing an aspect of the Gallipoli campaign which is entirely new to me

Is there any evidence that these notes, unused at Gallipoli, where available on that other Turkish front, Palestine?

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Glosters]

I am not aware of any evidence that the notes were ever issued.

Steve

[The Plummed Goose]

Don't want to be difficult guy but correct is correct.

The Turkish currency was the Turkish Lira (Now the NEW Turkish Lira) and was subdivided in (100) kurush ... (also today)

The word "piastre" is French for "coin" but was also used to indicate "kuruş" as French was the second language in Istanbul.

eric

[poziers]

On this thread, I have heard that some Australian and British Units before landing at Gallipoli were issued with 2(?) gold sovereigns each for use in Constantinople. They certainly showed confidence didn't they? Occasionally you see a box with the coins in Antique Stores and Coin Shops.

Has anyone any information on this story?

[Theo]

I'm sure many of you will be familiar with the fact that bank notes were nicknames 'John Bradburys' after the signature of the chief cashier of the Bank of England at the time. My gran often referred to a quid as a Bradbury, right up to her death in her mid 90s.

[Eceabat]

Theo,

in some research I have done on Australian POWs in Turkey, I have even come across references to Turks referring to Bradbury's, so it wasn't just your gran.

As to Poziers' query about the gold sovereigns being issued to British or Australian troops before landing, I do know of one case some years here in Canakkale, the town across the Dardanelles from the Peninsula, where two such coins were being offered for sale having ben found on the battlefield. I think there were minted in 1914. Whether these coins were issued or just carried by some soldier during the campaign I can't say.

Cheers

Bill