P01981.027 Accession Number: P01981.027

Description

Outdoor portrait of Australian ex-Prisoners of War (POW) wearing hospital-issued rehabilitation uniforms, with Colonel Murdoch and the London staff of the Red Cross. Standing, back row: left to right; 4101 Private (Pte) Archibald Frederick Dadswell, 28th Battalion, from Fremantle WA; Mrs Chirnside; Pte Stevens; Mrs Chinnery; Pte Thompson; Pte Ryan; Mrs Chisholm; 1719 Private (Pte) Frank Osborne Hannan, 28th Battalion, from Donnybrook, WA; Miss Oliver; and Pte Arnold Thorp, 28th Battalion, from Maddington, WA. Sitting, front row; left to right, 2014 Pte Henry Board, 26th Battalion, from Bicheno, Tas; Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) James Anderson Murdoch, from Sydney, NSW; 1854 Pte Albert Alexander Howard, 10th Battalion from Norwood, SA; Mrs Earl; 286 Sergeant (Sgt) Albert Victor Thomas Green, 28th Battalion, from Perth WA; and Miss Mary Elizabeth Chomley. Pte Dadswell enlisted, aged 18, on 5 January 1916 and embarked for overseas on 1 April 1916 aboard HMAT Ulysses. He was wounded and captured at Pozieres, France, on 29 July 1916 and held as a POW in Germany until transferred to Switzerland on 13 December 1916 and then repatriated to England on 14 September 1917. Dadswell arrived back in Australia on 4 March 1918. Pte Hannan enlisted, aged 19, on 14 June 1915 and embarked for overseas on 23 July 1915 aboard HMAT Demosthenes. He was wounded and captured on the Somme on 29 July 1916. He was held as a POW at Bergkaserne, Munster until transferral to Switzerland on 14 December 1916 and repatriation to England on 11 September 1917. Hannan arrived back in Australia on 4 February 1918 and was discharged on 16 April 1918. He re-enlisted on 13 June 1918 but was discharged “Services No Longer Required” on 8 August 1918. Pte Thorp enlisted, aged 23, on 2 March 1915 and embarked for overseas on 29 June 1915 aboard HMAT Ascanius. After serving at Gallipoli, he went onto the Western Front where he was wounded and captured at Pozieres on 29 July 1916. He was held as a POW in Germany until repatriated to Switzerland on 12 December 1916 and then onto England on 14 September 1917, before arriving back in Australia on 17 August 1918. Pte Board enlisted on 25 June 1915, aged 26, and embarked for overseas on 10 September 1915 aboard SS Makarini. He was wounded and captured at Pozieres on 29 July 1916. He was held in POW camp Lazarette Gottingen, Hannover until he was transferred to Switzerland in December 1916. Board arrived in England in September 1917 and arrived back in Australia on 13 February 1918. Lt Col Murdoch volunteered for service (at his own expense) with the Australian branch of the British Red Cross Society in October 1915. He worked in Egypt and France before being appointed honorary Lt Col and chief commissioner in England in 1917. He was appointed CMG in 1918 and returned to Sydney in December 1918. Pte Howard enlisted at the age of 22 on 5 January 1915 and embarked for overseas on 1 April 1915 aboard HMAT Port Lincoln. After serving at Gallipoli, he served on the Western Front where he was wounded and captured at Mouquet Farm, France, on 22 August 1916. He was held as a POW in Germany before being transferred to Switzerland on 13 December 1916. He was repatriated to England on 11 September 1917 and arrived back in Australia on 20 December 1917. Sgt Green enlisted at the age of 22 on 8 March 1915 and embarked for overseas on 29 June 1915 aboard HMAT Ascanius. Following service at Gallipoli, he was wounded and captured in France, on 29 July 1916 and held as a POW in Germany. Green was repatriated to Switzerland on 12 December 1916, arrived in England on 13 September 1917 and arrived back in Australia on 4 February 1918. One of a series of over 400 photographs sent by Australian POWs in German camps to Miss M. E. Chomley, Secretary, Prisoners Department, Australian-British Red Cross Society, London. Original album housed in AWM Research Centre at RC00864, Album image number 198.

Details

Conflicts

• First World War, 1914-1918

Places

• London

Tags

• Functions, ceremonies and events
• Group portraits
• Prisoners of war camps