The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Damaged Mk VI blue enamel water bottle. Large sections of enamel have been chipped from one side, which is also dented, rusted and corroded. There is one large shrapnel hole near the bottom. There is another, smaller, shrapnel hole on the other side of the bottle. The cork stopper is missing. Both the inside and outside of the bottle has the remains of a coating of dried mud.
This water bottle was found at Pine Ridge, Gallipoli by the Australian Historical Mission on 1 March 1919 at an advance area where men of the 6th Battalion had fought, attempting to hold back the Turks, on 25 April 1915. As dusk approached that day, the Turks advanced and overtook their positions. None of these men were taken prisoner, they were never heard from again.
No further fighting occurred near this position after 25 April. It was not until 1919 that the bodies of the men who had been killed there were found. Some were located in small groups along the length of Pine Ridge; others were found in front of the ridge, far down the slope. About 400 metres down the ridge on a knob overlooking Legge Valley another group of men was located. A last group was found at the back of the ridge, their remains covering the gully from top to bottom. While there may have been the remains of men from other units there, the colour patches and brass numerals still identifiable, indicated these were men of the 6th Battalion.
Blue enamel Mk.IV water bottle pierced by bullet and shrapnel holes. The enamel has been chipped off around these holes and the metal has rusted. This water bottle sits in a damaged 1908 pattern canva
Australian Army battered and shrapnel damaged brass bugle. The left side of the horn is squashed and gashed. There is a shrapnel hole in the left side at the bottom and at the back. Shrapnel or a bull
Damaged blue enamelled metal water bottle. The neck has been torn off, the enamel has chipped off around the damage and the metal has rusted. Enamel has also chipped off around a shrapnel hole on the
Shattered remains of a blue enamelled metal water bottle. The water bottle has been riddled with bullet and shrapnel and is missing most of its enamel. The exposed metal is rusted. The remains of th
Two pieces of a damaged blue enalled water bottle. One piece has lost most of its enamel and the exposed metal is rusted and full of shrapnel or bullet holes. The other piece has almost half of its en
Damaged Light Horse blue enamel water bottle in leather carrier, which is missing the shoulder strap. The remains of the original khaki woollen cover can be seen beneath the top horizontal length of l
