Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train at Gallipoli

Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train at Gallipoli
	"the last Australians to leave Gallipoli".
	<<< Colour patch : Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train. The ORs of the RAN BT dressed as AIF soldiers and some photos exist of them (mostly Drivers) wearing Light Horse style leggings.
	Dark blue square colour patch for the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, AIF with a red anchor embroidered in chain stitch in the centre. Worn as a distinguishing unit indication at the head of each sleeve from 1915.

Suvla Bay, Turkey. 1915.

British Army soldiers resting in the shore area. The Australians belonged to the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train.

This unit constructed piers and harbours in the bay. Various types of shipping can be seen anchored in the bay.

Commander Leighton S. Bracegirdle DSO, RAN, Commanding Officer of the 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, 1915.

Bracegirdle had already seen service in China during the Boxer Rebellion (1900-01) and in South Africa in 1902.

Donor B. Bracegirdle

The Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, about 300 men, were employed in support of landings in August at Suvla Bay, building piers etc.

1917-04-21.

Studio portrait of 363 Private Andrew Peter Johnson, 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train.

The ORs of the RAN BT dressed as AIF soldiers and some photos exist of them (mostly Drivers) wearing Light Horse style leggings.

Donor H. Clift

AWM PO1555.007

Heavy brass and nickel plated 'star and crescent' finial taken from a Turkish regimental flag captured at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli.

The hollow ornamental finial is in the form of a brass crescent moon encircling a small nickel-plated five-pointed star, mounted on the top of a nickel plated ball and socket.

This finial would originally have been fitted to the top of a Turkish flag pike bearing a gold embroidered crimson regimental standard. It was collected by Able Seaman Robert Luks who served, under the name of Luxbridge, with the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train on the Gallipoli peninsula.

He found the finial on 8 August 1915, a day after the Suvla Bay landing, about a mile from the beach, in a bush shelter which had been either a Turkish Brigade or Regimental headquarters judging by the papers and litter lying around.

Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, 1915-08.

A stone breakwater in the course of construction. The 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train having placed a 200 ton empty iron lighter in shore of the second hulk and continue to run out the stone wall of the breakwater.

Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, 1915-08.

British soldiers on the shore; behind them can be seen the ordnance dump and the Kangaroo Beach pontoon pier built by the 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train.

Donor B. Bracegirdle.

Suvla, Gallipoli, 1915-08.

A group of Officers seated in front of the dug-out of Lt Commander S Bracegirdle, Commanding Officer of the 1st RAN BT. Left to right: Staff Surgeon Morris, RANR; Bracegirdle; Lieutenant Bond, RANR; Captain McCritchie; Major Jellicoe.

Donor B. Bracegirdle

A group of Turkish prisoners being escorted across a pontoon bridge, across the Jordan River, (22 March 1918 ?) which was the first bridge erected by D Field Troop Engineers, Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train and Sikh troops.

Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, 1915-08.

West Beach before the construction of a boat harbour by the 1st RAN BT. Boxes of construction materials and stores are stacked up and, in the background can be seen rows of limbers and other British equipment.

Donor B. Bracegirdle

Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, 1915-10.

West Beach after the construction of a boat harbour by the RAN BT. Soldiers move about the dock area whose wall are faced with thousands of sandbags.

Donor B. Bracegirdle

Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. 1915-08.

The sandbagged dugout called "The Wardroom", used by the Commanding Officer and other Officers of the 1st RAN BT at Kangaroo Beach.

Donor H. Clift