Historical information

These eight photographs were most likely taken in the 1960s in Lithographic Squadron at the Army Headquarters Survey Regiment, Fortuna, Bendigo. Although Photo .1P is not annotated the remainder have the name of the technicians written on the back. The equipment operated by the technicians is the KLIMCH Commodore camera. The main tasks undertaken by the technicians were most likely enlargements and reductions of map reproduction material. The KLIMSCH Commodore camera was introduced in 1953 and was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It was replaced with a new model of the same size in 1979. The new model with its computer-based interface provided productivity gains with improved speed and its consistent results led to less wastage in time and materials. Its variomat lens system provided improved retention of map feature linear weights during the camera reduction process. The typed description pasted on the back of photo .5P states “Cpl R. MacKenzie of Bentley, Perth (WA) of the AHQ Survey Regt, located at “Fortuna”, Bendigo, (Vic). Has been in the Army for 5 years. He removes the lens cap from the 70 inch F16 lens of the giant KLIMSCH camera used in map making for the Army. The camera which was specially made for the Army in Germany is fully automatic and power operated. It is claimed to be one of the biggest automatic cameras of its type in the world. It was made to the specifications of the Aust Army Survey Corps to assist in the production of the very high standard maps for the Army. The AHQ Survey Regt also assists Commonwealth and other Govt departments in the printing of maps required other than for Army needs. The KLIMSCH camera is used for cartographic mapping photography.”

Physical description

This is a set of photographs of technicians operating photographic reproduction equipment at the Army Headquarters Survey Regiment, Bendigo c1960s. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. The photographs were scanned at 300 dpi.
.1) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, Les ‘Snow’ Taylor, Lithographic Squadron
.2) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, Les ‘Snow’ Taylor, Lithographic Squadron
.3) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, John Rolfe, Lithographic Squadron
.4) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, John Rolfe, Lithographic Squadron
.5) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, CPL R. MacKenzie, Lithographic Squadron
.6) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, unidentified, Lithographic Squadron
.7) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, George Graham, Lithographic Squadron
.8) - Photo, black & white, c1960s, L to R: Bill Snelson, George Graham, Lithographic Squadron

Inscriptions & markings

.1P – no annotation
.2 to .4 – personnel names (less rank) annotated on back.
.5 – name and rank annotated on back, with detailed typed description
.6 to .8 – personnel names (less rank) annotated on back.