Turtle shell from Gallipoli

This turtle shell was brought back to New Zealand from Gallipoli by Private Thomas Joseph O'Connor, who served with the Auckland Infantry Regiment.

O'Connor encountered the turtle when it fell into his trench. He made a ramp so it could escape and the turtle soon became a frequent visitor. Unfortunately, while O'Connor was away helping evacuate wounded, his trench was occupied by a party of Indian soldiers for whom the turtle became a makeshift meal. By the time O'Connor returned, all that remained of his pet was its shell.

• See also: entry for Thomas Joseph O'Connor in Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database

Image courtesy National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 1999.2424
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.