Corbie Church

Depicts the damaged church and surrounding buildings at Corbie, near Amiens , in northern France. During 1918, Australian forces were engaged in the defence of the Amiens area and Brigade Headquarters and reserve troops were billeted at Corbie. Between 22 April and 10 May 1918, the town was frequently shelled and the church, badly damaged, sustained many direct hits. Percy Ellesmere Smythe (1893-1966) enlisted in the AIF in Liverpool, New South Wales in May 1915. He initially embarked for the Middle East with the 3rd Infantry Battalion in September 1915. He fought at Gallipoli, but was evacuated to Malta with pneumonia. In March 1916, he proceeded to France, disembarking at Marseilles, before entraining for the Western Front, where he joined the 24th Battalion. During his service in France he became ill and was sent to hospital in Birmingham, England, returning to France in June 1918. Smythe was awarded the Military Cross following action at Mont St. Quentin in October 1918. During his service as a Private in England, he attended drawing and lithography classes and did drawings for publication in the Army's illustrated magazines. In 1919 he also undertook a course at the London School of Art, prior to his return to Australia. Smythe visited Corbie in August 1918 and noted in his diary; 'Took my sketchbook and went up to Corbie...went all over the ruins to find the most suitable position from which to make the sketch...it proved to be a laborious task, full of minute detail' (PR01436/12;10.8.1918).