A WW1 letter from Gallipoli

The WW1 Gallipoli Campaign began on 25 April 1915, resulting in the loss of approximately 50,000 men from Australia, Britain, France and New Zealand.

A poignant letter from an attending nurse was sent to an Australian woman living in London and printed in the Tamworth Herald.

‘It breaks my heart to see them’

The letter describes the nurse’s work at the Dardanelles during World War One and includes this incredibly moving comment:

‘It’s a sad time for us all, but you can be proud of being an Australian. Our men are perfect dears at all times. They bear suffering and trouble without a whimper, and just die smiling. It breaks my heart to see them.’

Tamworth Herald – Saturday 07 August 1915
Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

View the whole newspaper page