Studio portrait of 2nd Lieutenant (2nd Lt) Alfred Edward Gaby, 28th Battalion AIF. In March 1917, ...

Studio portrait of 2nd Lieutenant (2nd Lt) Alfred Edward Gaby, 28th Battalion AIF. In March 1917, Gaby was promoted to Sergeant then a month later was promoted to 2nd Lt. In May and June he attended the Anzac Corps School when this portrait was taken. In September 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant and a month later he was gassed and sent to England to recuperate. He was sent back to France in April 1918 and rejoined his unit before being sent on a course in July 1918, rejoining his unit later that month. Lt Gaby was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for 'most conspicuous bravery and dash in attack' on 8 August 1918 at Villers Bretonneux. During an attack, Lt Gaby rushed through a hole in the wire which was holding up the rest of the battalion and single handedly captured fifty enemy soldiers and four machine guns. He then reorganised his men and continued the attack. He was killed three days later by a sniper when walking along the line encouraging his men during another attack.