Informal outdoor group portrait of four members of the AIF. Standing, from left : 4467 Private ...

Informal outdoor group portrait of four members of the AIF. Standing, from left : 4467 Private (Pte) Arthur Leslie Edson 10th Battalion, 2994 Pte Cecil John Thoday, 32nd Battalion, 4429 Pte Richard Leishman (?). Seated: 2758 Pte Frank Edward Baker 32nd Battalion. At the time of this photograph the three identified members were attached to the 70th Battalion and were recovering from illness in the Military Hospital, Wareham. Pte Edson, a plumber from Port Victoria, South Australia, prior to enlistment, embarked with the 14th Reinforcements on 7 February 1916 from Adelaide aboard HMAT Miltiades (A28) for Suez. The battalion relocated to the Western Front, France during June 1916. In November 1916, Pte Edson was hospitalised with illness and evacuated to England for treatment and recuperation. He returned to France in mid-October 1917 and was evacuated to England once more in December 1917 for treatment before rejoining his unit in mid-June 1918. Pte Edson was killed in action near Amiens, on 4 July 1918. He was aged 21 years. Ptes Baker and Thoday survived the war and returned to Australia for discharge in April and August 1919 respectively.