| Place | Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM00391 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Flag |
| Physical description | Cotton |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: The Anzac Story: Gallipoli: Evacuation |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Last flag flown at Gallipoli : C E W Bean, War Correspondent, Divisional Headquarters, 1 Division, AIF
Description
Union Jack flag constructed from cotton. There is a section missing from the right hand side.
History / Summary
This Union Jack was flown above one of the Signal Offices at Gallipoli and remained fluttering from its pole until removed by the Offical Historian, Charles Bean, just prior to the completion of the Evacuation from 19 to 20 December 1915.
When the First World War began, Bean won an Australian Journalists Association ballot and became official correspondent to the AIF. He accompanied the first convoy to Egypt, landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and began to make his name as a tireless, thorough and brave correspondent. He was wounded in August but remained on Gallipoli for most of the campaign, leaving just a few days before the last troops.