| Place | Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Nek (Gallipoli) |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM00420 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Steel |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: The Anzac Story: Gallipoli: Life at Anzac 1 |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli |
| Date made | 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Improvised metal 'no admission' sign : The Nek, Gallipoli
Description
Rusted metal sign with several small shrapnel holes. One one side has the following text painted in white 'NO ADMITTANCE / UNLESS EMPLOYED / IN TUNNELS. / BY ORDER / O.C. / DIV. ENGRS.'. The other side has similar text, originally stencilled on to it. Although much of the paint has worn away, the wording is still legible, reading 'NO ADMITTANCE / UNLESS / EMPLOYED IN / TUNNELS / BY ORDER'. There are holes in the corners of the sign for attachment. The corners are bent over; some are partially torn away.
History / Summary
This sign was found at the entrance to tunnels leading toward the Nek on 17 February 1919 by members of the Australian Historical Mission (AHM). The AHM, led by Official Historian C E W Bean, visited Gallipoli from February to March 1919 to collect items for the nation, to record the area through artworks and photographs, and to explore the battlefields to answer some of the 'riddles of Anzac' for the Australian official history of the war.
On the day they found this sign, members of the AHM were with Lieutenant Hedley Vicars Howe, who had served with 11 Battalion as a private at Gallipoli, exploring the course he had taken at the landing on 25 April 1915.