| Accession Number | P05555.014 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Australia: Victoria, Swan Hill |
| Date made | c 1940 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Informal outdoor portrait of VX41229 Private (Pte) William Ernest (Bill) Hutchins, 2/22nd ...
Description
Informal outdoor portrait of VX41229 Private (Pte) William Ernest (Bill) Hutchins, 2/22nd Battalion (later 2/23rd Battalion), of Beverford, Vic, at the Swan Hill railway station, prior to leaving their home area for service. Pte Hutchins was one of seven brothers who enlisted and served overseas during the Second World War. Only three brothers, Pte William Hutchins, VX41288 Ivan Robert Hutchins, 2/4th Field Ambulance, and VX37192 Bombardier Malcolm George "Mike" Hutchins, 2nd Anti Aircraft Regiment, survived the war and returned to Australia. They had served in the Middle East and New Guinea. Brothers VX61202 Pte David Arthur Hutchins, VX61203 Pte Fred Hutchins, VX61201 Pte Eric Everard Hutchins, and a cousin, VX50460 Pte Thomas Hutchins all of 2/21st Battalion, died as prisoners of war (POW) of the Japanese at Ambon, Netherlands East Indies. Another brother VX41293 Pte Alan Leslie Hutchins, 2/22nd Battalion, died as a POW at Rabaul. VX74662 Sapper Fredrick Wallace, 9th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, another cousin of the Hutchins brothers, was a member of the recovery team which visited Ambon in October 1945 to uncover mass graves and identify remains, including those of his cousins, at Laha airfield and Tantoei camp.