| Place | Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Quinn's Post Area, Quinn's Post |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM11319 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Personal Equipment |
| Physical description | Enamelled steel, Wool |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: The Anzac Story: Gallipoli: Life at Anzac 1 |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 1914 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Damaged water bottle : Quinn's Post, Gallipoli
Description
Misshapen and damaged blue enamel water bottle. The bulk of the damage is focused on the centre of the water bottle, which has suffered from shell damage and is rusted and coated with dried mud. The rest of the bottle is peppered with bullet and shrapnel holes. The bottle retains some of its blue enamel coating at the top and bottom.
A few scraps of the original khaki wool cover are embedded in the bent pieces of metal that resulted from the shrapnel. The fabric has faded to a light brown and has traces of dried mud and staining from the rusted metal. The interior of the neck is coated in dried mud as is much of the interior of the water bottle, which is also rusted.
History / Summary
This water bottle was found on 24 February 1919 by members of the Australian Historical Mission in front of the trenches at Quinn's Post . Quinn's Post was the most advanced post of the ANZAC line. Together with Pope's Hill, it was one of the keys to the Monash and Shrapnel valleys. If it had fallen the Turks could have broken into the heart of the ANZAC position.
Quinn's Post was formed in the days following the 25 April landing by small parties of several Australian and New Zealand units, and later British Royal Marines. It was named after Major Hugh Quinn of the 15th Battalion, AIF, killed while leading a charge against Turks who had gained a foothold in the Post on 29 May. During the campaign's first two months Quinn's was mainly garrisoned by the 13th, 15th and 16th Battalions and then by the 1st Light Horse Brigade. In June 1915, New Zealanders replaced the Australian units. The Wellington Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel William Malone did a great deal of work to improve the organisation of the position. From September it was held exclusively by the 17th Battalion, AIF.
Quinn's was the scene of some of the most dramatic events in the Gallipoli campaign. The damage to this water bottle demonstrates the dangers of the position, where the trenches of the opposing armies were only about nine metres apart in some areas and enfiladed from Dead Man's Ridge and German Officer's Trench.