Frederick Matthew Bartlett interviewed by his son, Lawrence Bartlett, about his experiences at Gallipoli during the First World War

Places	Africa: Egypt, Alexandria Europe: Greece, Aegean Islands, Lemnos Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Lone Pine Area, Lone Pine Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Anzac Area (Gallipoli), Shrapnel Gully Area, Shrapnel Gully Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Cape Helles Area, Cape Helles Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Sari Bair Area
Accession Number	S02134
Collection type	Sound
Measurement	57 min 3 sec
Object type	Oral history
Physical description	audio cassette
Maker	Bartlett, Frederick Matthew Bartlett, Lawrence Francis
Date made	June 1976
Access	Open
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright	Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions	Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.

Description

Discusses: Side A: British landing at Cape Helles; French landings; Turkish Forces were entrenched and waiting; beach obstacles; losses for the British 29th Division; details the personal kit they carried during the landing; sailed on a former German ship from Alexandria, describes conditions aboard; transferred to a destroyer then to tow boats to be taken to the beach; under fire as they approach shore; explains how shrapnel explodes; details units involved in landing; impression of cliffs at beach; gives his opinion as to why the Turkish Forces knew they were coming; mentions Shrapnel Gully; wounded in legs by mortar fire and evacuated; rotation of duty in front line; describes the fire power of Howitzers; describes first rations on Gallipoli; details daily routine of life at the front; 18 May 1915 lead up to counter-attack by Turkish troops; huge casualties. SIDE B: fought on Sunday 25 April 1915, comments that the Battle of Waterloo was also on a Sunday; massed counter-attack by Turkish troops on 19 May 1915; explains the different forms of armaments; Officers often targeted and shot by Turks; Major (Maj) Burke shot in spine, Captain (Cpt) Richardson shot while directing troops; relates details of the death of his Commanding Officer (CO) Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) George Braund 4 May 1915; Lone Pine and hand-to-hand fighting; describes death of Private Christodas Hart while trying to save a wounded Turkish soldier 20 May 1915; sent to Hospital Ship Gascoygne when wounded at the end of July; talks of his cousin Fred Bartlett in the Royal Engineers who he met in Malta; mentions Cpt Gifford who became a Lord after the war, Lt Hughes who was killed in action, 2nd In Charge (2-I-C) Major Scurby wounded at the landing and Major Tom Cameron killed in action; no steel helmets at Gallipoli; believes the Gallipoli campaign was a bungle with no direction from the senior commanders; relates the aim of the attack was to shorten the war; discusses German armaments.
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