New Zealanders captured by the Ottomans

Trooper Jeffrey Harney, Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, was one of 25 New Zealanders captured by the Ottomans during the Gallipoli campaign. The majority (20) were men wounded during the attack on Chunuk Bair in August 1915. The moment of capture was a chilling one: those wounded not killed by Ottoman troops were taken to dressing stations and then hospitals, where standards of medical treatment varied. In the Maltese hospital in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), prisoners were forced to share mattresses and only basic medical treatment was provided. Six New Zealand prisoners died of their wounds or disease during captivity, and another after his repatriation to New Zealand. 

New Zealanders captured at Gallipoli*

Ashman, Thomas George. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915. Died of wounds in Constantinople (Instanbul), 1 October 1915
Burgess, Thomas Hayes. Private, The Auckland Battalion, NZEF. Captured, 24 May 1915. Died of wounds in Constantinople (Instanbul), 25 September 1915
Bussell, James. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915. Died in Iraq, 17 October 1916
Coulter, John Percy. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Davie, Reginald John. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Earles, Francis John. Corporal, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Forrester, John. Lance-Corporal, The Otago Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Gaffney, Thomas. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Gowland, Ronald. Trooper, Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 10 August 1915. Died of wounds in Constantinople (Instanbul), 25 August 1915
Greig, George. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Gunn, Reginald John. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Harney, Jeffrey Arthur. Trooper, Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, NZEF. Captured on Hill 60, 28 August 1915. Died in Iraq, 19 November 1916
Harvard, Jonas Palfrey. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Keightley, Ernest. Private, The Auckland Battalion, NZEF. Captured near the Apex, 10 August 1915. Died in Iraq, 25 October 1916
King, Cyril Thomas. Private, The Auckland Battalion, NZEF. Captured near the Apex, 10 August 1915
Lambert, William Charles. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
McAneny, George. Sergeant, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Monk, George Francis. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Morice, Archie Murray. Trooper, Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment, NZEF. Captured on Hill 60, 28 August 1915
Morrison, Angus. Private, The Otago Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Porter, Lee Arthur. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Sheppard, Francis Leeson. Lance-Corporal, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Shoebridge, Albert John. Corporal, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915. Died in New Zealand, 5 August 1919
Steele, Norman. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915
Surgenor, William Robert. Private, The Wellington Battalion, NZEF. Captured on Chunuk Bair, 8 August 1915

*Source: Richard Stowers, Bloody Gallipoli: The New Zealanders' Story (2005)

Community contributions

2 comments have been posted about New Zealanders captured by the Ottomans

What do you know?

admin

Posted: 07 May 2015

Hi Nerida

There is no such list as far as I am aware.

Richard Stowers in 'Bloody Gallipoli' states that all 805 members of the Wellington Infantry Battalion were involved in the attack on Chunuk Bair of 8-9 August. Of these 297 were killed and around 430 others were wounded - leaving only about 80 men from the Battalion able to continue serving by the end of 9 August. In terms of your Gt Gt Uncle, we can be close to 100% percent sure that he was wounded at Chunuk Bair - the fact his service record says he was wounded on 8th or 9th August further supports this claim.

Regards Jamie Mackay

Nerida Attwood

Posted: 02 May 2015

Is it possible that there is a list of the Wellington Battalion that survived the assault of Chunuk Bair? My great x2 uncle John Thomas Byrne's records state that he was wounded in the Dardanelles on the 8th August and he was in the Wellington Battalion. Can anyone help me out to confirm his involvement in this battle?