Australian War Memorial Logo
Search

Donate Today

  • Collection Open Information Close Information
    • Official Histories & Unit Diaries
    • Understanding the Collection
    • Research at the Memorial
    • Donating to the Collection
    • National Collection Loans
    • Projects
  • People
  • Visit
  • Commemorate Open Information Close Information
    • Last Post Ceremony
    • Honour Rolls
    • Anzac Day
    • Remembrance Day
    • Customs & Ceremony
    • Speeches
  • Learn Open Information Close Information
    • Schools & Teachers
    • Memorial Articles
    • Encyclopedia
    • Understanding Military Structure
    • Podcasts
    • Glossary
    • Magazine
  • Get Involved Open Information Close Information
    • Donations & Bequests
    • Corporate Partnership
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer at the Memorial
    • Friends of the Memorial
    • eMemorial Newsletter
    • Grants, Scholarships & Residencies
    • Research Papers
  • Shop Open Information Close Information
    • Memorial Shop
    • Images, film and sound
    • Lone Pine Seedlings

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Learn
  3. Schools & Teachers
  4. Classroom Resources
  5. Understanding Gallipoli
  6. Case studies
  7. Henry Herbert Bartrop

Main navigation

  • Schools & Teachers
    • School visits
    • Classroom Resources
    • Virtual Excursions
    • Memorial Boxes
    • Publications
    • Education Programs
    • The Simpson Prize
    • Professional Learning
    • Classroom Showcase
  • Understanding Military Structure
  • Australian military history overview
  • Podcasts
  • Glossary
  • Boy soldiers
  • Understanding Military History

Henry Herbert Bartrop

Born in 1886 in Balmain, New South Wales, Henry Bartrop was the third of Herbert and Mary Bartrop’s six children. Known as Bert, he worked as a clerk before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in May 1915. He embarked from Sydney the following month for the fighting in the Dardanelles.

Aged 28, Bartrop arrived at Anzac Cove in early August and was immediately drawn into the fighting at Lone Pine. Initially intended as a diversion, the attack called on Anzac forces to fight their way into heavily fortified Turkish positions. The main trench was captured, but the following four days of intense fighting resulted in heavy casualties.

Bartrop was reported missing in action in the days after the fighting. His family back in Australia wrote repeatedly to the AIF for information, but reports were inconclusive. One witness believed he saw Bartrop shot through the heart, while another insisted that he had buried Bartrop behind the trench in which he died.

More than a year later a court of inquiry concluded that Bartrop had been killed at Lone Pine on 7 August 1915, just two months after leaving Australia. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial on Gallipoli.

Bartrop’s younger brothers Harold and William both served in and survived the First World War. Harold was awarded the Military Medal for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty” in Belgium in 1917.

Activities

  1. Why did Australian soldiers wear colour patches?
Collection Item C352074

Accession Number: RELAWM13307.066

Colour patch for the 3rd Battalion.

Using this information about colour patches, research and copy some of the patches worn by Australian soldiers today. You might like to create your own using felt.

2. It has been said that Australian soldiers valued their colour patches more than any other decoration. Why do you think this might be the case? What might the colour patches have symbolised for the soldiers?

3. The German artillery shell case, below was engraved by Captain Allan Garbett of the 1st Light Horse Regiment during the First World War. What images can you see on the shell case? What do these images tell us about his experiences overseas?

Collection Item C1262299

Accession Number: REL42376

Engraved artillery shell case, c. 1916.

4. Often known as the “dead man’s penny”, memorial plaques such as the one shown below were issued to the next of kin of all those who died while serving the British Empire.

How do you think families might have felt about receiving a plaque?

Collection Item C964477

Accession Number: REL29192

Memorial plaque

5. What do you think the lion on the plaque symbolises? Investigate some of the other symbolism on the plaque.

6. The details of Bartrop’s death took more than a year to resolve. Why do you think it was so difficult to find out the fates of some soldiers who died in the war?

 

Back to case studies

Last updated: 19 January 2021

1 The Donations and bequests

Donations & Bequests

Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

Find out more
2 Visit Transcribe.awm.gov.au

Transcribe

Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection. Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians.

Find out more
The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

Find out more
Visit the Australian War Memorial

Visit the Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries. Entry is free and tickets are not required.

Find out more
Canberra Highlands in Grayscale

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS

The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
Location map of The Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial building

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
View on Google Maps (opens in new window)
Google Map data ©2025 Google
Australian War Memorial Logo
  • Go to AWM Facebook
  • Go to AWM Trip Advisor
  • Go to AWM Instagram
  • Go to AWM Youtube

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Venue Hire
  • Media
  • WM Magazine
  • Donate Today

The Australian War Memorial

Fairbairn Avenue

Campbell ACT 2612

Australia

 

Opening Hours

10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day)

 

In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony,

galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm.

 

Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612

Sign up to our newsletter

Subscribe

Legal

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of information

Copyright 2025 Australian War Memorial, Canberra. All rights reserved