The one shown in the photo is one of the war artefacts most famous on the web: according to what many users have reported, these would be two bullets which, during the Battle of Gallipoli In the 1915, they would have collided in flight, stopping each other. It would therefore be a more unique than rare case, where incredible timing would have potentially spared the lives of one (or more) soldiers. But as often happens in these cases, it’s a story.”too good to be true“.
The first thing to keep in mind is that photography itself is authentic: This is not an image created digitally or in AI. Indeed, to be more precise this find is currently exhibited in Türkiye, al Seddulbahir Ahmet Uslu Müzesia museum dedicated to the battle of Gallipoli, on the Turkish peninsula. So did the two bullets actually hit each other in mid-air? Here comes the beauty.
According to what was reported by historian and author Jo Teeuwisse in her Fake Historythe two bullets they would never hit each other in flight. This deduction was made after consulting experts ballistics. In fact, upon careful analysis it can be observed that the right bullet (the one that hits) is the only one to have rifling marks. These are nothing more than unique scratches and imprints left on a bullet by the spiral rifling and grooves inside the barrel of a firearm.
The fact that only one of the two bullets has these marks is an indication of the fact that only one was shot. The other, in all likelihood, was inside one ammunition box or in a bandolier. This explanation is much more rational and, above all, the probability of a bullet hitting another stationary one is much higher – especially considering the amount of shots fired during the battle. To confirm this, it is right to point out that similar relics are present in various museums around the world, including others in the same museum – even if, as visible below, not everyone is completely honest (or aware) of the exact dynamics of the event:
The idea of two bullets hitting each other in the air certainly helps detach tickets and make the story more fascinating in the eyes of tourists, but unfortunately it remains false information – at least in this specific case.
