| Place | Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Legge Valley |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM00352 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Glass, Leather, Leatherette, Metal |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Source credit to | This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government. |
Damaged field glasses : Legge Valley, Gallipoli
Description
Pair of damaged field glasses (binoculars), complete with lenses and a brown leather suspension strap.The body of the glasses was once covered with black leatherette, but only some of it now remains, attached to the left barrel. The original black enamel finish has chipped away in many areas. There is a shrapnel hole in the outer side of the left barrel. The entire piece has a light coating of dried mud.
History / Summary
These field glasses were found on 19 February 1919 at Legge Valley by members of the Australian Historical Mission (AHM). The AHM 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.
The AHM believed these binoculars might have been taken from a dead Australian officer by a Turk. Only a small number of men reached Legge Valley on 25 April and the area remained in Turkish control after this date.