Encyclopedia
Dioramas
Transportation of supplies 1914–18, Palestine series
The Transportation of supplies 1914–18, Palestine series comprises nine dioramas depicting the transportation of supplies in the desert campaign of Palestine in 1916. Work began on the series in 1926. It was first displayed at the Memorial in the Palestine gallery, where it remains.
Sculpture: Leslie Bowles
Painting: Louis McCubbin
Landing supplies from ships
At the railhead
The ship of the desert
After the darkness comes the dawn
The dump at Beersheba
Within the sound of the guns
Supplies reach a regiment
A squadron receives its supplies
The long trek ends
Landing supplies from ships
The diorama depicts supplies being unloaded from ships in the open roadstead at Belah. The supplies are brought ashore in surf boats and moved to a dump above the high-water mark.
AWM ART41037
At the railhead
The diorama depicts a Decauville train of the light railway system unloading at the temporary railhead established at Gamli, south-west of Beersheba. A caterpillar tractor loads up as a laden camel train heads into the desert toward Esani.
AWM ART41038
The ship of the desert
The diorama depicts drivers of the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps loading their animals beside the dumps at the Esani supply depot.
AWM ART41039
After the darkness comes the dawn
The diorama depicts a supply train travelling across the sand dunes toward Beersheba in the light of false dawn.
AWM ART41040
The dump at Beersheba
The diorama depicts the dump at Beersheba where the heavy motor columns of the Army Service Corps take over the task of transporting supplies along the highway to Gaza.
AWM ART41041
Within the sound of the guns
The diorama depicts unloading of supplies at the divisional refilling point. Horse-drawn general service wagons are preparing to convey the supplies to the next stage of their journey.
AWM ART41042
Supplies reach a regiment
The diorama depicts general service wagons unloading at a dump in the entrance to a ravine in Palestine. The supplies will later be collected by regimental limbers.
AWM ART41043
A squadron receives its supplies
The diorama depicts the squadron quartermaster sergeant receiving his daily supplies from the regimental limbers. As they come up from brigade the quartermaster sergeant will issue rations and replacements for equipment or clothing shortages to the squadron’s orderlies.
AWM ART41044
The long trek ends
The diorama depicts a handful of light horsemen preparing a meal in the shadow of a battle-scarred mosque. Their mounts are tethered under a clump of palms in the background.
AWM ART41045
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