Taken on the 31st of August ,1918, this photograph depicts Gunner Wilson, Lieutenant Driscoll, and Lieutenant Clark (facing camera) of the 12th Battery of Australian Field Artillery, choosing a site for new battery positions, as members of the 52nd Australian Battalion move past to a new sector north of the Somme, before Mont St Quentin.The Battle of Mont St Quentin commenced on the 31st of August 1918 and ended on the 3rd of September 1918. The battle saw Australian troops storm, seize and hold the key height of Mont St Quentin (overlooking Peronne), a pivotal German defensive position on the line of the Somme.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph on matte photographic paperReverse: 5144/military album, beechworth, burke museum, ww2, world war two, france, somme, 12th battery of australian field artillery, 52nd australian battalion, military, mont st quentin

snape collection

The HMAT A18 Wiltshire (1912-1922) weighed 10,390 tons with an average cruise speed of 13.5 knots or 25.00 kmph. Described as a refrigerated steamship it was b uilt 1912 by John Brown, Clydebank for the Federal S N Co Ltd, London and was propelled by a twin screw, quadruple expansion engine 2 x 4 cylinders each 6500 hp. Owned by the Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd, London, it was leased by the Commonwealth until 2 October 1917. It embarked from Egypt on 2 February 1918. On 18 October 1914 at Melbourne embarked the 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria) A, B & C squadron & their Machine Gun Section, the 2nd Field Ambulance (Victoria) First Division. The disembarked the 4th Light Horse Regiment in Egypt on 10 December 1914. On 01 November 1914 The Wiltshire assembled with the first convoy at King George's Sound, Albany Western Australia in transporting the first detachment of the Australian and New Zealand Imperial Expeditionary Forces. It completed nine transport voyages from Australia commencing 18 October 1914 until final voyage from Sydney 9th November 1918. During that time The Wiltshire carried the 4th Field Artillery Brigade (Victoria) 2nd Division Artillery and their 1st Reinforcements, 1st Division Ammunition Column 1st Division Artillery 4th Reinforcements, thirty-four Infantry Battalion Reinforcements, the 10th, 11th & 12th Field Artillery Battery (Victoria) 4th Field Artillery Brigades, the 4th Brigade Ammunition Column 4th Field Artillery Brigade, the 1st Siege Artillery Brigade 15th Reinforcements, the 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria) A, B & C squadron & their Machine Gun Section, six Light Horse Brigade Reinforcements, the 1st Veterinary Section (New South Wales) 11th Reinforcements, the 1st Mobile Veterinary Section (New South Wales) 1st Division 11th Reinforcements, the 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section (Victoria, New South Wales) 2nd Division 11th Reinforcements, the 1st Cyclist Battalion (New South Wales and Queensland) 3rd Reinforcements, the 2nd Field Ambulance (Victoria) First Division & Medical Officers. After the conclusion of World War One is was wrecked Rosalie Bay, Great Barrier Island New Zealand 31 May 1922 on passage London for Dunedin. Onboard was a crew of 103 plus 1 stowaway, and 10,000 ton of general cargo. No lives lost and is now a well frequented 'Dive' wrecksite. (http://www.flotilla-australia.com/hmat.htm#A18)Photographic postcard of the troopship Wiltshire out at sea.world war one, world war, wiltshire, troop ship, mmm