Showing 109 items matching "battlefields - australia"
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National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, Pemberton, Gregory ed, Vietnam Remembered. (Copy 2)
... Newhaven phillip-island-and-the-bass-coast Australia - Politics ...Vietnam Remembered: This book makes the first real assessment of what the Vietnam War meant, on the battlefields and in Australia.Vietnam Remembered: This book makes the first real assessment of what the Vietnam War meant, on the battlefields and in Australia.australia - politics and government - 1965, vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - protest movements - australia, vietnam war, 1961-1975 - personal narratives, australian -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, Cosgrove, Peter, My Story, 2006
this book is my personal story, from boyhood to battlefield and beyond, written in my own words, reflecting on my life.this book is my personal story, from boyhood to battlefield and beyond, written in my own words, reflecting on my life.cosgrove, peter, 1947-., generals - australia - biography, soldiers - australia - biography -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, Flashback: Echoes from a Hard War, 2003
Seven young Australians find themselves caught up in the madness and brutality of the Vietnam War. One dies, six survive after being wounded - only to find there are worse things than dying on the battlefield.Seven young Australians find themselves caught up in the madness and brutality of the Vietnam War. One dies, six survive after being wounded - only to find there are worse things than dying on the battlefield. 1961-1975 - veterans - australia, vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 -- psychological aspects -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, McKay, Gary, Australia's Battlefields in Viet Nam: A traveller's guide
... lasting war. Australia's Battlefields in Viet Nam: A traveller's ...In 1971 Gary McKay was an Australian platoon commander in what was then South Viet Nam and was seriously wounded in one of Australia's major battles of the Viet Nam War. In 2002 he returned to Viet Nam and retraced the steps of those who had gone before and after him, from 1965 to 1972, in what was Australia's longest lasting war.In 1971 Gary McKay was an Australian platoon commander in what was then South Viet Nam and was seriously wounded in one of Australia's major battles of the Viet Nam War. In 2002 he returned to Viet Nam and retraced the steps of those who had gone before and after him, from 1965 to 1972, in what was Australia's longest lasting war.vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - battlefields - guidebooks, platoon cammander, gary mckay -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, Payne, Keith, Keith Payne VC: No One Left Behind, 2021
From the battlefields of Korea, Malaya and Vietnam to the struggle for veterans' welfare, Keith Payne has never shied away from a fight.From the battlefields of Korea, Malaya and Vietnam to the struggle for veterans' welfare, Keith Payne has never shied away from a fight.soldiers - australia - biography, payne, keith vc, military history - (australia, vietnam, s. korea) -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, Reid, Richard, Just wanted to be there: Australian Service Nurses 1899-1999
For soldiers, the battlefield is a harsh and savage place. for the wounded and dying, it is an environment of extreme fear, however much their sense of themselves as soldiers demands they must not show it.For soldiers, the battlefield is a harsh and savage place. for the wounded and dying, it is an environment of extreme fear, however much their sense of themselves as soldiers demands they must not show it.nurses and nursing - australia - history - 20th century, military nursing - australia - history -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Book, King, Jonathan, Great battles in Australian history
As historian Jonathan King takes us to the battlefields of long ago, and then on a rollercoaster-ride right up to the war in Afghanistan, he brings history alive, laying bare the significance of each battle.As historian Jonathan King takes us to the battlefields of long ago, and then on a rollercoaster-ride right up to the war in Afghanistan, he brings history alive, laying bare the significance of each battle.world war, 1914-1918, participation, australian, korean war, 1950-1953, participation, australian, world war, 1939-1945, participation, australian, vietnam war, 1961-1975, participation, australian -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Financial record - Assorted Papers, Comfort Fund, circa 1940
... acted as a vital link between home and the battlefields ...Wangaratta Comfort Fund final Meeting Report dated 18th December 1945 and 2 x Lists of Camouflage Nets sent to CWA Headquarters dated 24th and 31st of August 1943 2 x newspaper cuttings 3 page photocopy of handwritten notes dated 13th August 1941 detailing gift of Autoclave (medical apparatus) for use by the AIF presented by the then Mayor of Wangaratta Cr J F Dundas and President of the Wangaratta Branch of RSSILA Mr W Law The ACF provided a source of comfort, support and encouragement for the troops abroad and offered a means for women at home to contribute to the war effort and identify with the men in the trenches. The ACF acted as a vital link between home and the battlefields. The Australian Comforts Fund officially closed on the 27th June 1946. Typed and photocopied handwritten notes.Wangaratta Comforts Fund.comfort fund, wangaratta, ww2 -
City of Ballarat
Artwork, other - Public Artwork, Boer War Memorial by James White, 1906
The Boer War Memorial was created by sculptor James White in honour of Australian Soldiers who fought in the South African War (1899-1902). White used the electrolytic copper deposit method to produce this large statue, which is sometimes mistaken for a cast bronze work. The Foundation stone was laid on 18 May 1901 by H.R.H The Duke of York (George V). The sculpture was unveiled on the 1st November 1906 by His Excellency Baron Northcote G.C.I.E., C.B. Governor General of Australia and then Mayor of Ballarat, J. J. Brokenshire. Bravery and mateship are beautifully captured in depiction of a scene taken straight from the battlegrounds. Today the memorial is a much-photographed tribute and exploration of the friendships and struggles of men at war. A proud cavalry horse bears the weight of two men in the chaos of the battlefield. The Boer War in Africa was an early example of the Australian Colonies sacrificing men and equipment for Britain to defend it’s Empire against colonial insurgence. The memorial is of historical and aesthetic significance to the people of Ballarat.Horse and figures, bronze mounted on bluestone base and granite plinth, plaques list the war dead. The artwork depicts two soldiers and a horse. A British soldier is being succoured by an Australian mounted rifleman. In honour of Australian Soldiers who fought in South Africa 1899-1902. Foundation stone laid 18th May 1901 by H.R.H The Duke of York (George V). Unveiled 1st November 1906 by His Excellency Baron Northcote G.C.I.E., C.B. Governor General of Australia. J. H. Barker Chairman. J. J. Brokenshire Mayorboer war, south africa monument -
Lake Bolac & District Historical Society
Black and white photograph, William Arthur Park, Corporal 4th Field Artillery Brigade, WW1
William Arthur Park, a Corporal in the 4th Field Artillery Brigade. He enlisted 15/07/1915 and his date of embarkation was 18/11/1915. William was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in France. Upon returning to Australia he took up farming at Mininera in 1920 on land purchased prior to enlistment. He married Caroline Biggin. Unfortunately he never fully recovered from the gas attacks he suffered on the battlefield and died at the early age of 43 in 1928.park, 4th field artillery brigade, military medal, france, mininera, biggin, -
Tramways/East Melbourne RSL Sub Branch - RSL Victoria Listing id: 27511
Plaque - Chalk rock, This chalk is from the WW1 French trench system
A chunk of white Chalk Rock Mounted on a dark stained timber plaque Under the chalk is a dark coloured brass plateThis chalk is from the trench system at the Australian position, "Battle of Fromelles" 19 July 1916 Brass plate on back of item states " Collected and Presented by President Peter Fraser After His Tour Of World War One Battlefields - 2003"chalk, ww1, fromelles, trench system, france -
Magnet Galleries Melbourne Inc
battlefield
world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, no-man's-land, battle, field, destruction, trenches -
Magnet Galleries Melbourne Inc
battlefield
world war 1, anzac, ww1, soldiers, australian, field, no-man's-land, destruction -
8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regimental Collection
Print - LAD Vietnam
Soldier tradesmen belonging to the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps (RAEME) were attached to and Armoured Corps regiment as a Light Aid Detachment (LAD) to provide battlefield repairs to armoured vehicles. Captain Jim Farrelly joined 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles as a trooper. He rose through the ranks then as a consequence of his civilian trade as a mechanic he transferred to RAEME and took command of the regiment's LAD.Framed coloured print of painting of Light Aid Detachment making major repairs to a Centurion tank in the Vietnam battlefield. Helicopter gunships are providing protection.Presented to 8/13 VMR Officers Mess by OC RAEME att Capt Farrellyraeme, farrelly, lad, repairs, vmr, officer, mess -
Melbourne Legacy
Book, Aussie, 1920
Aussie, a lighthearted account of life in the field for Australian troops during WW1. Featuring stories, cartoons, letters to the editor and much more. Aussie was conceived in November 1914 but it was not until January 18, 1918 that Aussie was first published with a print run of 10,000 copies. The third issue had a print run of 100,000 copies. A couple of single original issues are also in the archive. This was a compilation put together by Phillip Harris from the original editions and printed in Australia in 1920. Funds raised from the sale of the compilation went towards the construction of The Australian War Memorial.Despite the dreadful conditions on the Western Front during the war the Australian troops managed to procure enough rescoures to publish an interesting and humour packed account of life for them as it was. A great morale booster.Cover, cardboard, faded and some stains. Pages, paper, some tears, stains,discolouration.Front cover, "Aussie. A reprint of all the numbers of the Diggers' own paper of the battlefield, wholly written, illustrated and printed in the field by members of the AIF. Produced by the editor, Phillip L. Harris on behalf of the Australian War Museum. 1920. Forward by Major General C.B.B. White, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O."world war one, souvenir, magazine -
Melbourne Legacy
Photograph - Australian War Memorial, The Unknown Soldier, 1993
A photo of the internment of the coffin of the Unknown Australian Solider in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The coffin is flanked by pall bearers from each of the defence forces. The official Party, including the Prime Minister, Hon Paul Keating MP, looks on and veterans are seated. There are two Junior Legatees present, they were Rebecca and John Healey of Canberra. There was in article in The Answer newsletter in June 1994. The Unknown Australian Soldier was interred in the Hall of Memory on 11 November 1993. He was buried in a Tasmanian blackwood coffin, on which were placed a bayonet and a sprig of wattle. Soil from the Pozières battlefield in France was scattered in his tomb. The tombstone later placed on top of the tomb has the inscription: “An unknown Australian soldier killed in the war of 1914–1918”. At the head of the tomb is inscribed “Known unto God” and at the foot, “He is all of them and he is one of us.” (details taken from awm.gov.au)A record of Junior Legatees being present at the interring of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. It shows how respected Legacy's work is by the wider community that the Junior Legatees are included in such a distinguished group at such an important event.Colour photo inside the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial.australian war memorial, answer -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Booklet, The Graves of the Fallen, 1919
This work forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers, that was donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son John Rogers in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand. The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian in the 1960s and 1970s. Together it forms the largest privately-donated collection within the archives of the Kew Historical Society.A sixteen page booklet produced by the Imperial War Graves Commission in 1919. The text for the booklet was written by Rudyard Kipling. The illustrated booklet includes illustrations of cemeteries with mature trees and shrubs; contrasting the bleak landscapes depicted in published battlefield photos. The publication was distributed by the Australian Government. [London : H. M. Stationery Office, 1919?] 16 p. : ill. ; 22 x 23 cm. rudyard kipling, graves of the fallen, war graves, first world war (1914-18) -
Clayton RSL Sub Branch
hard cover non-fiction book, The Lost Diggers, 2012
The small French village of Vignacourt was always behind the front lines. For much of the First World War it was a staging point, casualty clearing station and recreation area for troops of all nationalities moving up to and then back from the battlefields on the Somme. Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt tells the story of how one enterprising photographer took the opportunity of this passing traffic to establish a business taking portrait photographs. Captured on glass, printed into postcards and posted home, the photographs made by the Thuillier family enabled Australian soldiers to maintain a fragile link with loved ones in Australia. The Thuillier collection covers many of the significant aspects of Australian involvement on the Western Front, from military life to the friendships and bonds formed between the soldiers and civilians. The exhibition showcases a selection of the photographs as handmade traditional darkroom prints and draws on the Memorial's own collections to tell the story of these men in their own voicesapprox 4000 images were discovered in the attic of a barn Vignacourt, of soldiers and other life in WW1.An exciting story about the discovery of the plates of Vignacourt -
Magnet Galleries Melbourne Inc
Lone Pine, red cliffs military00039.tif
A relaxed group of soldiers at Lone Pine, Gallipoli Peninsula in August 1915. Lone Pine, so named after a single Turkish pine on the battlefield was part of a diversionary attack to draw Turkish troops away from the main assaults elsewhere. The four day long battle, was ultimately won by the Australians but at a fearful cost that saw seven Australians awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery. lone pine, gallipoli, 1915, soldiers, trench, australia, a.i.f, war, ww1, world war 1 -
8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regimental Collection
Photograph
In 1977, the Leopard AS 1 Main Battle Tank entered service with the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. It was the replacement for the Centurion Tank, which had given sterling service since 1952 including four years on active service in South Vietnam. Although the Leopard AS1 had been in service for 23 years, with some upgrading it still has a formidable battlefield presence and will be a key weapon system in the Australian Army inventory. Transport by rail was the major method of moving the tank around the country.Five coloured photographs of Leopard tanks on rail wagons at Albury Railway Station, circa 1978. -
Lilydale RSL Sub Branch
Book, Keith Payne, Keith Payne VC / No one Left Behind, 2021
A Memoir of Korea, Vietnam and Life Beyond the Battlefieldnon-fictionA Memoir of Korea, Vietnam and Life Beyond the Battlefield -
Diamond Valley Vietnam Veterans Sub-Branch
Photograph - Long Tan, c2002
A commemoration ceremony at the Long Tan Cross, Vietnam with Australian soldiers reflecting on the battle and the cost therein; supported by two pipers. Includes the Heading for the text: The Pipers Lament to the dead of Long Tan by 6RAR/NZ Battalion. Photograph AWM Bel 69/556VN.The Long Tan Cross is a memorial which was erected by the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on 18 August 1969 to mark the site of the Battle of Long Tan, which was fought three years earlier during the Vietnam War. While the cross was removed following the Communist victory in 1975 and used to commemorate a priest, it was recovered by the Đồng Nai Province Museum in 1984 and placed on display. A replica cross was also erected on the battlefield during the 1980s, and is frequently visited by Australian Vietnam War veterans. The original Long Tan Cross was gifted to Australia in 2017 and placed on permanent display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.Photograph in landscape format of Pipers Lament, with Guards, at Long Tan Cross, Vietnam, respecting the soldiers who died in the Battle of Long Tan, 1966; includes short text describing Battle of Long Tan.Text describing in brief the background of the Battle of Long Tan.vietnam, vietnam war, battle of long tan, diamond valley vietnam veterans sub branch -
Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens History Group
Work on paper - On the Trail of the Lone Pine, Pine Cones from the Gallipoli Battlefield, April - June 2011
Sergeant Keith McDowell gave a cone he collected from Gallipoli to his aunt to try and grow. One seed was planted in the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens and another at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. These pine trees have symbolic importance as a representation of Australian soldiers' "tenacity and fortitude". They are an important link to the remembrance of those men and women from Ballarat who saw action in World War 1.3 pages (pp.44-46). p.44 in black print on white paper, a photograph of the planting of one of the pines in 1934 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. p.45 is a coloured picture of the pine in Canberra. p46 has a history of the seeds brought from Gallipoli by Smith and Mcdowell on the right-hand side of the page and a photograph of the Pines being labelled. There is a column about these trees down the left-hand side of the page.None john garner, doctor, john garner collection, ballarat botanical gardens, friends of the ballarat botanical gardens, the lone pine, gallipoli, anzacs, sergeant keith mcdowell, lance corporal benjamin smith, aleppo pine, turkish pine, pinus halepensis, pinus brutia, gardens, ballarat -
The 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victoria Regiment Historical Collection
Magazine - Framed Magazine Cover, Anzac Bulletin No. 70( New Issue) London May 10, 1918, 10 May 1918
Issued to members of the Australian Military and Naval Forces in Great Britain, France and elsewhere; by the High Commissioner for AustraliaFramed copy of ANZAC BULLETIN Issue 70 from 10 May 1918. There is a large square photo of " the debris of the battlefield" Surrounding this photo is a thin black boarder with small silhouettes of Kangaroos and Emus and a banner across the top containing the stars from the Australian flag. Located at the top and centre of this brown paper magazine cover is the Rising Sun hat badge. -
The 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victoria Regiment Historical Collection
Souvenir - Photographs and Post Cards, 1916-1918
cameras were not common during the first world war. as such post cards of portraits and the damage of the battlefield were common.Collection of black and white post cards and photographs. 20 post cards are of the township of Villers Brettoneux after the German shelling. 2 are of Australian Soldiers. One of the photos is written on, otherwise the post cards are unmarked and in good condition." Stanley and I taken in London August 1916.ww1, souvineer, post card, wark vc club -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Memorabilia - Tobruk Monument Souvenir
The image on this shield is a representation of the memorial in the middle of the Tobruk War Cemetery. Tobruk War Cemetery incorporates the burial ground used during the siege and the memorial erected there at the time by the Australians has been replaced by a permanent memorial of similar design. Many battlefield graves in the desert have been brought into the cemetery. There are now 2,282 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in Tobruk War Cemetery. 171 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them. This item is part of a collection of items owned by Arthur Lock, a member of the 2/23rd Battalion, an all-volunteer Second Australian Imperial Force which served as part of the garrison during the Siege of Tobruk, then at El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo. It has particular local significance as the battalion was know as "Albury's Own" because a large majority of the battalion's initial intake of volunteers came from the Albury–Wodonga region.A small plastic shield that depicts the Tobruk Memorial in the centre and Tobruk written across the top in gold lettering.Across the top "TOBRUK"world war 11, rats of tobruk, tobruk, tobruk memorial -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Book - Albury at War 1914 - 1919, Douglas Hunter, Published 2015
This publication tells the story of the men and women from Albury and district who served in the Great War of 1914 to 1919. It tells of those who served on the battlefield, but also those who supported and sustained them from home whilst maintaining the community of Albury. As indicated on the back cover, the author Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Hunter had a long military service and connection with Albury Wodonga. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009 for services to military history. The book was based on research carried out with the assistance of members of the Albury and DIstrict Historical Society. It included a forward by Councillor Kevin Mack, Mayor of the City of Albury (2015).A publication of 156 pages including text, illustrations, facsimiles and portraits. It also includes bibliographical references and an index.This publication tells the story of the men and women from Albury and district who served in the Great War of 1914 to 1919. It tells of those who served on the battlefield, but also those who supported and sustained them from home whilst maintaining the community of Albury. As indicated on the back cover, the author Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Hunter had a long military service and connection with Albury Wodonga. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009 for services to military history. The book was based on research carried out with the assistance of members of the Albury and DIstrict Historical Society. It included a forward by Councillor Kevin Mack, Mayor of the City of Albury (2015).impact of world war 1 albury, soldiers ww1 albury, ww1 participation albury -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Certificate - Captain Kenneth Mortimer, D. W. Paterson Co. Pty. Ltd. Print, 1918
Kenneth Malcolm Mortimer was born in Leneva, Wodonga, Victoria on 9 October 1895. He attended school in Wangaratta before entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1913. Along with the rest of his class, he graduated in June 1915. Mortimer was appointed as a Lieutenant with the 29th Battalion on 1 July 1915. He embarked with Headquarters Staff, 29th Battalion, from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ascanuis (A11) on 10 November 1915. Whilst training in Egypt in February 1916, he was promoted to Captain. He was in command of a company of the 29th Battalion at Fromelles, Armentieres, France in July 1916. and was reported missing, presumed killed in action on 20 July 1916, aged 20 years. Mortimer’s remains were buried along with those of hundreds of others in a mass grave near Pheasant Wood, close to the battlefield. This mass grave was rediscovered in 2008. After extensive research and DNA testing, the remains of Captain Mortimer were finally identified in April 2018. He was buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Fromelles and his grave rededicated on July 19, 2018, 102 years after his death. A memorial tablet was erected to his memory at St Luke’s Church in Wodonga. Honour Certificates WW1 - From 1915 onwards, recruits in many shires and towns in eastern Australia were honoured by local government authorities. A common form of recognition was the award of honour certificates. The first honour certificates were presented in 1915 and 1916 to men who had yet to leave Australia. The designers and publishing companies solicited business directly from councils. Publishers began to print two different types of certificates: honour certificates to thank soldiers who had survived and memorial certificates to commemorate the dead. D.W. Paterson, a Melbourne publishing firm, claimed they had supplied certificates to over 150 cities and shires in Victoria and New South Wales, including the Shire of Wodonga. Paterson also had the widest range of designs The certificate signified that the officials of the community recognised and shared the family's pride and grief. In the earliest designs, the legend "Australia's sons answered the call" appears below the shield. This was replaced with "For Liberty/ ANZACs/ For Justice". After the United States entered the war in April 1917, the design was reworked to include the US flag. Its presence in this certificate dates its publication as late 1917. The certificate was signed by S. T Parker, Shire President and R. H. Murphy, Council Secretary on 4th August 1918. Kenneth Malcolm Mortimer was born in Leneva, Wodonga and enlisted in the AIF after training at Duntroon. He fought and died at the Battle of Fromelles, France which was the first major engagement of the AIF on the Western Front. Along with hundreds of other Australian soldiers his remains were only identified in 2018, more than 100 years after the battle.Coloured certificate presented to the family of Captain K Mortimer by Wodonga Shire Council.29th battalion, mortimer, leneva, fromelles, aif, wodonga shire, honour certificates ww1 -
Melbourne Legacy
Photograph, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchedale. Photo L. Duhameeuw, Ypres, 1930
A photo of the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Passchendale dated September 24, 1930. It appears to be a professional photograph purchased as a souvenir. See also 01024 Menin Gate, Ypres, as it is by the same manufacturer. The Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the First World War in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front (source Wikipedia). The hand written inscription on the back of the photo says: "This memorial in Cemetery was built over a German dugout. 12,000 men are buried here. Stone wall at back has soldiers names engraved on same. Those unknown - words in stone 'Australian Soldier of the Great War Known unto God.' Australians captured Passchendale from the Germans Oct 4th 1917. Beautiful cemetery, all well kept, gardens, lawns, flowers. Ypres, Belgium Sept 24/30" The source of these photos is not known but they were stored together in the archives. The founders of Legacy were returned servicemen from the first world war and may have returned to France in the 1930s. Manufactured by L. Duhameeuw, Ypres.The professional photos from France imply that Legatees were making pilgrimages to the battlefields of France in the 1930s in memory of their comrades.Black and white photo of Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendale, France.Indistinct round stamp on the back and a handwritten message.world war one, souvenir, cemetery, memorial -
Melbourne Legacy
Photograph - Photo, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 1919
A large photo of soldiers from the first World War. It is almost identical to one in the AWM. From the AWM record it is the 2nd Pioneer Battalion before they returned to Australia. From Wikipedia the 2nd Pioneer Battalion was tasked with digging trenches, labouring, constructing strong points and light railways, and undertaking battlefield clearance, the troops assigned to the pioneers required construction and engineering experience in addition to basic soldiering skills. After the Armistice personnel were repatriated to Australia in drafts as part of the gradual demobilisation of the AIF, the battalion's strength dwindled until finally it was disbanded on 18 May 1919 while in the Charleroi area of Belgium. The men are standing on the steps of the Palais de Justice in Charleroi. The lion is one of a pair made by Antoine-Felix Boure a Belgium sculptor, who was renowned for his portrayal of lions. This pair is called Totor et Tutur. The Palais de Justice was replaced by a new building in the 1960s and the lions now stand in the garden of the Palais de Justice. The soldiers wear different uniforms depending on their rank. This photo is a good example of some of them. Legatee Philip E Potts who was president in 1927-28, was a Captain in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion and is likely to be in this photo. Or the photo belonged to him. Another photo of L/ Potts is labelled Charleroi 1919 and mentions a 2nd Division Concert Party and his war record at NAA says he was assigned to the Concert Party at that time.Legacy was founded by returned soldiers from World War 1, hence some founding legatees may be in this photo.Sepia photo of the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on the steps of a building.soldiers, world war one, lion, charleroi, 2nd pioneer battalion, uniforms, philip e potts