Shrapnel damaged bugle

A shrapnel-damaged bugle belonging to Bugler George Bissett, Wellington Infantry Battalion, who was killed in action on 27 April 1915.

Bissett landed with the Wellington Infantry Battalion at Anzac Cove on the evening of 25 April. Two days later, during the Battle of the Landing on Russell's Top (Walker's Ridge), he was killed alongside Lieutenant Edmund Robinson Wilson. On 4 May, Lieutenant Colonel William Malone, Commander of the Wellingtons went on one of his reconnaissances, possibly looking for Lieutenant Wilson's body. He wrote in his diary:

I went on a little scout by myself, on our left. I took a rifle and slithered into the scrub. Found several dead Turks about, poor devils - been there since 25 April. Not pleasant to look at ... Unfortunately we can't bury lots of our men, poor chaps. We can see them here and there, but it is almost certain death to go out to them. There are two I would specially like to bury. Lieutenant Wilson and a bugler lad - Bissett from Hawera. He lies with his bugle on his back face downwards, shot in his tracks.

Malone got his opportunity to bury Lieutenant Wilson and Bugler Bissett during the 'Armistice' of 24 May 1915. Bissett is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. His bugle was retrieved from Gallipoli and is currently on display at the National Army Museum in Waiouru.

• See also: biography of William Malone at DNZB website

Image courtesy National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 1987.1693
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.