Isle of Wight Rifles - Gallipoli, Gaza and beyond

In this resource you will find primary source material relating to Isle of Wight people and their involvement in the Gallipoli campaign. It covers the period from outbreak of World War I in August 1914, to the evacuation of all troops from Gallipoli by January 1916 . There are also teaching ideas to accompany this material. Much of the material in has come from collections at the Isle of Wight Record Office, local families, The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum and the Carisbrooke Castle Museum. Excellent general background information about the Gallipoli campaign and the history of the Isle of Wight Rifles can be found through links to Imperial War Museum and pre-existing histories of the Isle of Wight Rifles on our resources page.

There are postcards home from Rifleman Albert Downer to his mother while he was away training in 1915 and, outstandingly, poignant letters between Rifleman Will Buckett and his sweetheart Emmie Tutton. Sadly neither of these young men was to survive long after landing.

Here they are in Watford at their training base as they wait to be posted. William Buckett is in the front row second from the left.

The pages have suggested activities but these are not to constrain a school's use. They are also available as pdf downloads as is the rest of the resource as far as copyright allows.