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The story of a defining campaign and a monumental exhibition ‘These were ordinary people who went into extraordinary circumstances and had to find in themselves the strength to endure.’ – Richard Taylor, Wētā Workshop

Why were New Zealanders at Gallipoli, and what did they endure? This illustrated exhibition companion details the human scale of the Gallipoli campaign and goes behind the scenes to tell how the exhibition was made. It takes readers up close to the remarkable giants of the exhibition and the stories of those who vividly convey the scale of our war.

CAIRNS · KEITH · PUGSLEY · TAYLOR

One of Te Papa’s most memorable and popular visitor experiences, Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War combines the creative artistry of Wētā Workshop with the museum’s expert historical research.

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www.tepapapress.co.nz

PUAWAI CAIRNS · MICHAEL KEITH · CHRISTOPHER PUGSLEY · RICHARD TAYLOR

The story of a defining campaign and a monumental exhibition

PUAWAI CAIRNS · MICHAEL KEITH · CHRISTOPHER PUGSLEY · RICHARD TAYLOR

CONTENTS 6 9

He tangata, he tipua An almost magical power Ngā tipua o mua Pillars from our past

Te atamira o Tū Reimagining a theatre of war

106

Ko Aotearoa me te emepaea New Zealand and empire Ngā tāngata māori nō Aotearoa Ordinary New Zealanders

144

Ngā Tamatoa a Tūmatauenga The chosen heroes of Tūmatauenga

164

Ngā kōrero nō Karipori Stories from Gallipoli

196

Ngā matarahi The murals

214–32

Ngā whakaahua Image credits • He tuhinga anō Further reading • Ngā kaituhi About the authors • Ngā kaimahi Exhibition credits • He kuputohu Index

He tangata, he tipua An almost magical power Courtney Johnston and Arapata Hakiwai Tumu Whakarae and Kaihautū, Te Papa ‘I felt a weight in my lower chest as I learned about the stories and suffering of the people, witnessed their rage and despair sculpted on their faces, and felt the ground tremble under my feet. I was immersed by this, and now feel much more sympathy towards these people.’

Handwritten message left on one of the commemorative paper poppies in the final gallery of Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War

different way. By partnering with Richard Taylor

ny historical anniversary is an opportunity – and an obligation – to both understand where we have come from, and to consider how we

might want to move forward. In 2014, the commemoration of the centenary of Aotearoa New Zealand’s part in the First World War, therefore, posed a significant question for Te Papa. How should the national museum bring people together around this major event in our history? And how could this be done in a way that would contribute to our collective understanding, in the twenty-first century, of Gallipoli and of our involvement in overseas wars? We realised this particular challenge, already on a short timeframe, needed to be met in a and Wētā Workshop, we were able to bring the immersive vividness and strong character focus of cinematic storytelling to the classic physicality and detail of a history exhibition. We are incredibly proud of the result. It is a superb example of talented creative people with passion, skill and dedication coming together. Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War could not be a heavy exhibition of facts and figures and black and white images. Nor could it be a glib or glossy encounter that swept audiences through but left

Arapata Hakiwai and Courtney Johnston outside the exhibition entrance in 2022 with Te Papa Tour Guides (from left) Anna Sheffield, Roger Gascoigne and Rangimoana Taylor.

‘It is hard to tell the story of an army with intimacy.’ Richard Taylor, Wētā Workshop

TE ATAMIRA 1 O TŪ REIMAGINING A THEATRE OF WAR Michael Keith

t was 2013. The centenary of the First World

collaboration between a leading public institution

War was coming up, and here was the challenge:

and a highly successful private company – with

how would Te Papa, the national museum of

the accompanying brand recognition – would, it

Aotearoa New Zealand, mark the significance of

was thought, attract support from funders like the

this anniversary? An exhibition, obviously, would

Lotteries Commission.

be core business for the museum. But in amongst

They were right, and in 2014, with funding

the flurry of commemorations of that long-ago

in place, the Te Papa Board appointed Wētā

event, how to create a museum experience that

Workshop’s Richard Taylor as creative director

would make a special impression on its twenty-

for the project. Te Papa designer Ben Barraud was

first-century audience? How to represent a seminal

appointed team leader on the museum’s side. And

piece of history in ways that engaged today’s

with eight months to opening, one week before

generations, especially the rangatahi, the young

Anzac Day in April 2015, the highly experienced

people, yet honoured the generation who lived

freelance project manager Sue Harrop took the

through it? How to do storytelling with impact,

reins to deliver the exhibition on time and within

gravitas and pathos, respectful of the past and

budget, handling a pair of mighty organisations

meaningful for the present and future?

that had never been in harness together.

Te Papa’s leadership decided that the museum would benefit from another range of creative expertise to produce an engaging experience of

Why Gallipoli? In the vast arena of the First World

this kind. Wellington-based Wētā Workshop, the

War, the Allied attempt to knock the Ottoman

internationally renowned player in the film indus-

Empire out of contention was a modest campaign

try, with credits and Oscar wins for blockbuster

– and a failed one at that. But as the annual

successes such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, was

commemorations of Anzac Day remind us, the

the obvious choice – as an audience drawcard,

campaign had a focus and magnitude for Australia

as well as for its skillset. The exhibition was an

and New Zealand that went far beyond its military

ambitious project that needed special funding. A

significance. And research undertaken by Manatū Taonga the Ministry for Culture and Heritage had found that the New Zealand public’s prime interest in the First World War was Gallipoli and understanding its place in the history of this nation

OPPOSITE Creative director Richard Taylor of Wētā Workshop adds the final details to the large-scale figure of Lottie Le Gallais during the installation of the exhibition at Te Papa.

at war. Military historian and Gallipoli expert Dr Christopher Pugsley, the exhibition’s historical

1 6

1 THE GREAT ADVENTURE

2 ORDER FROM CHAOS

3 STALEMATE

4 CHU

Lieutenant Spencer Westmacott

Lieutenant-Colonel Percival Fenwick

Private Jack Dunn

Maori

ATE

4 CHUNUK BAIR

5 SAYING GOODBYE

6 WESTERN FRONT

Dunn

Maori Contingent machine-gun section

Staff Nurse Lottie Le Gallais

Sergeant Cecil Malthus

(1) The fibreglass body of Lottie Le Gallais is partially mounted. (2) Le Gallais’ bespoke shoes are fitted. (3) The bottom half of Percival Fenwick is dressed and mounted on the display base. (4) Head of costume, Alistair McDougall, adjusts Spencer Westmacott’s tie.

ABOVE The completed diorama of the SS Maheno. FROM TOP RIGHT Details of the deck and interior cabins.

INSET MAP DETAIL OVERLEAF

After a failed naval attempt on 18 March 1915, the Anzacs made the northernmost of a series of landings to seize the Gallipoli peninsula and allow warships access through the Dardanelles Strait and on to the Sea of Marama. The Anzacs landed north of Gaba Tepe. The British 29th Division landed on a group of beaches in the south. The French Expeditionary Force sent a regiment ashore at Kum Kale. The ships of the Royal Naval Division made a diversionary attack (feint) at Bulair.

‘The whole of the scrubby slope opposite to us is

FULL OF SNIPERS, dead shots.’

Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone

heavy casualties. Overly ambitious, the move

200–300 metres. The open ground among the

lacked both planning and coordination and the

scattered trees was covered in wild daisies, which

soldiers’ bravery could not compensate for poor

the New Zealanders referred to in their letters as the

planning by the New Zealand commanders.

‘daisy patch’. Fifty years later Cecil Malthus of the

The severe losses caused a drop in morale and

Canterbury Infantry Battalion (see page 140) would

a breakdown in cohesion among the battalions

write a classic account of his Gallipoli experience

that suffered most. This was particularly so for the

that included this terrible day. ‘Hugging the ground

Otagos, who carried out the attack. As Private Peter

in frantic terror we began to dig blindly with our

Thompson wrote in his diary, ‘My regiment was lit-

puny entrenching tools but soon the four men

erally cut to pieces, and although we charged several

nearest me were lying one dead two with broken

times, we were unable to gain any ground under

legs and the other badly wounded in the shoulder.’

such a terrible fire … At the first roll call … in my

The Australians suffered a similar fate in an

platoon, 14 out of 50 answered.’ The Anzacs’ failed

equally forlorn attack during that afternoon. After

attack on Baby 700 confirmed for Hamilton that it

suffering 835 casualties that day, and 2800 since the

was necessary to relieve the Australians and New

25 April landing, the New Zealanders were now only

Zealanders with a British advance from Cape Helles.

1700 strong. At half-strength, Malone’s Wellingtons were the strongest of the four battalions.

8 May: Krithia, Cape Helles

The disaster of Krithia demonstrated the inability of British and Anzac commanders to adapt

On the night of 5–6 May the 2444 men of the

their thinking in order to overcome the growing

New Zealand Infantry Brigade and the 2568-strong

strength and complexity of the Ottoman defences.

2nd Australian Brigade were transferred from

They seemed to consider that bravery alone was

Anzac Cove to Cape Helles. Facing Krithia on 8 May,

sufficient, but it was not. Malone was scathing in

at 11am, the New Zealanders were ordered to attack

his criticism, telling Johnston that a night advance

from 500 metres behind the British front line.

would have been far more effective and led to far

The Ottomans, prepared and dug in, caused heavy

fewer casualties.

casualties even before the men reached the British front trenches, and any advance beyond this was stopped by enemy machine-gun and rifle fire after

Meanwhile, inside the Anzac perimeter, men from the Royal Naval Division replaced the New Zealand Infantry Brigade within Godley’s NZ & A Division. These were surplus stokers, sailors and marines, many of them mere boys with very little infantry

OPPOSITE New Zealanders in the trenches on Second Ridge at Quinn’s or Courtney’s Post. In the background, a sniper takes aim through the mirror on a periscope rifle, guided by his spotter, who is using a periscope camouflaged by hessian sacking. In the foreground, two recent arrivals have their photo taken for family at home. The soldier on the left holds a Long Tom rifle with fitted bayonet.

training. Captain Jesse Wallingford, who was described as ‘our wolf who never sleeps’, held them together by placing his machine guns in support and hand-picking fifty of the best shots from the recently arrived New Zealand reinforcements to work in pairs as snipers among the inexperienced sailors. On 12 May the Royal Marines were relieved by

A KEEN OBSERVER OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Spencer Westmacott at a Territorial Force camp in Auckland in 1914, before war broke out; sketch of a New Zealand soldier on the Western Front, 1916; sketch of the Auckland Infantry Battalion landing at Anzac Cove, 25 April 1915; sketch of soldiers at the British Army tactical school on the Western Front, 1916. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Studio portrait taken at the time of Westmacott’s marriage to volunteer-nurse Jean Patricia Campbell, September 1918; portrait at the easel, painted by James Cook, a fellow student at Canterbury College School of Art, c.1920–25; with the Otorohanga Battalion of the Home Guard; on the main street of Ōtorohanga, c.1940s.

ABOVE Lieutenant-Colonel William (George) Malone outside his dugout at the top of Walker’s Ridge, in April or early May 1915. A bayonet driven into the sandbags serves as a useful hook and an ammunition box provides shelving for a toothbrush and mug. RIGHT A letter from Malone to his daughter, Norah, from Egypt, 1915. After his death, she added the words ‘He is dead now, Daddy is dead now’.

The Commanders Lieutenant-Colonel William George Malone was one of the outstanding New Zealand leaders in the Gallipoli campaign. British-born, he had followed his brother out to New Zealand in 1880, served in the Armed Constabulary and was at the sacking of Parihaka in 1881. Through hard work, he became a lawyer-farmer in Stratford and was a keen Territorial soldier. Although he was not represented as one of the exhibition’s giants, he is everywhere. His image can be seen at the entrance, pistol in hand, wearing the lemon-squeezer hat he introduced when commanding the 11th Taranaki Regiment in 1911. Malone insisted it be worn by the Wellington Battalion on Gallipoli, and it was adopted as the official headdress of the NZEF in August 1916. Today it is the official headwear of the New Zealand Army. Selected by Godley to command the Wellington Battalion, at fifty-six, Malone, tall and solidly built, was the oldest man in the battalion, but assessed himself as ‘fit, hard & well’. He had spent many years reading military history and strategy and achieved a lifelong ambition by going to war, and was determined to make his men the best in the force. During training in Egypt, he drove his battalion mercilessly and weeded out those who did not meet his standards. On Gallipoli his leadership was critical in preventing the Anzacs from being driven back into the sea in the late-April battle for Walker’s Ridge. His rebuilding of Courtney’s and then Quinn’s Posts in early June was the turning point in securing the defence of the Anzac perimeter. Malone fought for building materials and basic comforts for his men as fiercely as he fought the Ottomans. His diaries chart a growing disenchantment with impractical British regular officers, and a growing love for those

ABOVE Hat badge of the 11th Taranaki Rifles of the New Zealand Territorial Force. BELOW A bronze next of kin memorial plaque (also known as a ‘Dead Man’s Penny’), designed by Edward C Preston and made by the British Ministry of Munitions between 1919 and 1921. Mrs Ida Malone was one of 1.35 million people in the British Empire who received this plaque after losing a loved one in the war.

under his command. The clash of wills between Malone and BrigadierGeneral Francis ‘Earl’ Johnston, his New Zealand

173

19 DECEMBER 1915. The last night of the evacuation from Anzac and Suvla. The lights are still on as the last New Zealanders silently embark the troopships in the shadow of the landmark known as the Sphinx. Sergeant Joe Gasparich of the Auckland Battalion remembered how he and the men felt: ‘We could not understand two things: one was withdrawing in front of an enemy and the other was leaving our cobbers behind. You don’t know how that hurt the blokes.’

GALLIPOLI: THE SCALE OF OUR WAR Puawai Cairns, Michael Keith, Chris Pugsley and Richard Taylor RRP: $35.00 ISBN: 978-1-99-115095-0 PUBLISHED: December 2022 PAGE EXTENT: 236 pages FORMAT: Limpbound SIZE: 250 x 190 mm

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ORDER https://tepapa.nz/BookGallipoli

CAIRNS · KEITH · PUGSLEY · TAYLOR

One of Te Papa’s most memorable and popular visitor experiences, Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War combines the creative artistry of Wētā Workshop with the museum’s expert historical research.

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www.tepapapress.co.nz

PUAWAI CAIRNS · MICHAEL KEITH · CHRISTOPHER PUGSLEY · RICHARD TAYLOR