Turtle shell from Gallipoli

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

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 O'Connor in Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph database