Informal outdoor portrait of two members of the 8th Battalion taken near a dugout on the ...

Informal outdoor portrait of two members of the 8th Battalion taken near a dugout on the Gallipoli Peninsula. They are identified as Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) John Reginald Shallberg on the left and 647 Private (Pte) William Frederick Brotherton on the right. Both men embarked for overseas with the 8th Battalion from Melbourne on 19 October 1914 aboard HMAT Benalla (A24). After a stopover in Albany, Western Australia, they arrived in Egypt on 2 December 1914. Following further training in Egypt, the battalion took part in the Gallipoli landings on 25 April as part of the second wave. 2nd Lt Shallberg was a 21 year old clerk prior to enlisting on 25 August 1914 and he embarked with C Company as a Corporal with service number 357. After being promoted to Sergeant on 28 April, he was then promoted to Second Lieutenant on 4 August. He was wounded in action at Lone Pine on 7 August 1915 and died from his wounds that same day aboard the Dunluce Castle. He was buried at sea and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey with others who have no known grave. Pte Brotherton was a 25 year old labourer prior to enlisting on 19 August 1914 and he embarked with F Company. At Gallipoli, he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 1 June, to Corporal on 13 August and to Lance Sergeant on 23 August 1915. After taking ill at the end of August, he was evacuated to England for medical treatment and in the meantime was promoted to Company Quartermaster Sergeant on 2 September. Following recovery, he proceeded to France where he joined the 8th Battalion on 8 August 1916. He continued to serve on the Western Front and was promoted to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant on 18 March 1918. After marrying Margarita Helen Davy in England on 23 October 1918, he returned to Australia with her, arriving on 28 June 1919.