Historical information

Joseph William Cairnduff (1876-1929) was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He married Ann Walker in 1900. When he enlisted on 19 August 1914 he was given SERN 4. At the time he was living at 'Tyne', 96 Guildford Road, Surrey Hills. He was 5'5", 38 years old and employed as a civil servant. He had served for 5 years in the Senior Cadets and 3 years in the Australian Signallers. He was given the rank of sergeant in the Divisional Signal Company 1 and embarked for Egypt from Melbourne on board HMAT A10 Karroo on 20 October 1914. Joseph was in Egypt from 24/10/1915 to 17/6/1916, but only in Giza from 21/02/1916 to 6/03/1916. Surviving service on Gallipoli and the Western Front, he returned to Melbourne leaving on board HT 'Wiltshire', 12 November 1916. He was discharged medically unfit.
Joseph and Ann had a large family before he left for WW1:
Ann Mary b.1901; James William Cotter b. 1903; Mathew Norman Banks b. 1904; Doris Jean b.1906; Claude James b, 1908; Elsie Edna b. 1910; Clive Bruce b. 1912 and Gladys Janet b. 1914.
After his return he and Ann had more 2 daughters - Sylvia McLaren b. 1917 and Mavis Morley b. 1918, who commenced at Chatham Primary School in 1927 and 1928 respectively.
Joseph and Ann are buried in Box Hill Cemetery (M-NS-0492). Joseph's twin brother, James Banks Cairnduff (SERN 571) also served in the AIF and is also buried in Box Hill Cemetery (M-NS-0003).

Physical description

A black and white photo of a group of 7 Australian soldiers and 2 Egyptians gathered around a pole. The context is not able to be discerned. One of the soldiers is marked with an 'X' and is smoking a pipe. He has a cap-like object on his head. The other soldiers are wearing slouch hats. The Egyptians are dressed in long white garments and are wearing turbans.

Inscriptions & markings

On the rear in the hand of the donor: "Dad had written on the original (photo) / "The 1st and only Telegraph ffice / erected on the top of the Pyramids, / it was erected by me during our / sojourn in Egypt"