Outdoor group portrait of members of, possibly, the 9th Training Battalion at Perham Downs, ...

Outdoor group portrait of members of, possibly, the 9th Training Battalion at Perham Downs, Wiltshire. Identified with the black dots, left to right are members of 411 Lance Corporal Frederick Benedict (Ted) Alsop's gun team; No 5 468C Private (Pte) Claude William Dickins (later killed in action 17 October 1917); 4000 Bernard Michael (Bern or Barney) Alsop (second from left, standing); No 6 Percy Crane (probably 434 Percy Raymond Crane); No 3 427A Pte Donald Eric (Don) Blackhall (later killed in action 17 October 1917); No 2 Bill Irwin (probably 460 William Irwin). One of his team was missing and all others are unidentified. Brothers Ted and Bern Alsop trained at Salisbury Plains. Ted, a steward of Winchelsea, Victoria, embarked with the 6th Reinforcements, 2nd Machine Gun Company on 20 October 1916. Ted arrived in England and underwent further training before appointment as a lance corporal in April 1917. His brother Bern, a labourer of Winchelsea, embarked with the 10th Reinforcements, 29th Battalion, on 21 October 1916. He transferred to the 4th Division Machine Gun Company in March 1917 joining his brother Ted, and was appointed lance corporal in June. The brothers, now members of the 24th Machine Gun Company arrived in France on 8 September 1917 and on 17 October 1917 Ted was killed in action, a;long with his comrades Blackhall and Dickins). A letter held by the family sent by Lieutenant Myers records Ted was in a dugout with two others and all three were killed by a shell and buried just outside a cemetery and a short ceremony presided over by Lt Myers. Post war this grave was not discovered, most likely due to being over-run during ensuing action and all three have their names recorded on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.