P03236.113 Accession Number: P03236.113

Description

Studio portrait of Prisoner of War (POW) 4013 Private (Pte) William Woodland, 51st Battalion from Jarrahdale, Western Australia. Pte Woodland enlisted at the age of 18 on 26 August 1915 and embarked for overseas on 22 November 1915 aboard RMS Mongolia. He was wounded and captured at Mouquet Farm, France on 3 September 1916. In a letter from POW camp Giessen, Germany dated 15 May 1917, Pte Woodland wrote "Arm is never well, bullet went right through socket of shoulder, and on working arm swells and discharges." He was repatriated to Switzerland on 28 December 1917, arrived in England on 14 June 1918 and disembarked in Australia on 17 August 1918. Handwritten notes on back of photograph read: ¿This photo was sent to a lady in Berne where our bread was sent from. I made a mistake and sent her two, so as I had it returned along with a letter to you, I sent it on to you. This lady is in charge of the bread making in Berne, Miss N. F. Cattley. Yours Sincerely, W.C. Woodland No 4012, 51st Batt. A.I.F., New Town, Jarrahdale, West Australia. 25.3.18." 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 141.

Details

Conflicts

• First World War, 1914-1918

Tags

• Prisoners of war