Informal portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Vivian Dalziel Bernard, 31st Battalion from Mackay, ...

Informal portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Vivian Dalziel Bernard, 31st Battalion from Mackay, Queensland relaxing in a chair in a hospital room. He is holding a lighted cigar in his right hand and a book in his left hand. Lt Bernard served seven weeks in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force in August 1914 during which time he embarked to take part in the capture of German New Guinea but did not reach his destination due to trouble caused by firemen onboard the troopship. After being discharged, he worked as a bank clerk and at the age of 20 was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the AIF on 7 October 1915. He embarked for overseas with A Company, 31st Battalion from Melbourne on 9 November 1915 aboard HMAT Wandilla. Following promotion to Lieutenant in February and arrival in France in June 1916, he was wounded in action and captured by the Germans at Fleurbaix on 19 July 1916. He was held as a Prisoner of War (POW) in several camps in Germany before being repatriated to Switzerland in December 1917. After arriving in England on 7 December 1918, he received further medical treatment for his wounds and arrived back in Australia on 29 March 1919. One of a series of over 400 photographs sent by Australian POWs in German camps to Miss M. E. Chomley, Secretary, Prisoners Department, Australian-British Red Cross Society, London. Original album housed in AWM Research Centre at RC00864.