| Accession Number | P09871.003 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Digital file TIFF |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Marmara, Chanak, Gallipoli Peninsula |
| Date made | 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
A soldier sits outside his dugout near an improvised stove made from a drum. The message on the ...
Description
A soldier sits outside his dugout near an improvised stove made from a drum. The message on the back of the photograph reads "My old dug-out pal Billy West". The soldier is either Billy West (identity unknown) or Private (Pte) Thomas Sydney (or Sidney) Harrison (see P09871.002 and P09871.009). Born in England, Harrison migrated to Australia in 1910. A carpenter from Geelong in civilian life, Pte Harrison (service number 862) embarked with D Company, 21st Battalion, from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ulysses (A38) on 10 May 1915. During his service Harrison was allocated a new service number, 4414. He transferred to the 5th and 8th Field Company Engineers at Gallipoli. A keen amateur photographer, Harrison took photographs in Egypt and on Gallipoli. In September 1916 on the Western Front, he transferred to the 6th Field Company Engineers and was promoted to Lance Corporal (L Cpl). On 6 May 1917 L Cpl Harrison was killed in action in France, aged 32. He was buried north east of Albert but after the war his grave could not be located and he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France. (One of a series of photographs in the collection of 4414 Lance Corporal Thomas Sydney Harrison.)