| Accession Number | AWM2020.139.8.1 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | |
| Place made | Australia: New South Wales, Sydney |
| Date made | c January 1920 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Collection related to the First and Second World War service of Joe Tilson Lang
Description
Studio portrait of Captain Joe Tilson Lang MC. Lang was working as fitter when he enlisted on 28 January 1915 as a private with the service number 1791. He embarked at Sydney aboard HMAT Argyllshire (A8) on 10 April, and was promoted to Sergeant the same month. Lang was transferred to 53rd Battalion in February 1916 and commissioned as a second lieutenant in March. He arrived in France in June 1916 and was wounded the following month. He was promoted to lieutenant in September.
Lang was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917 for a series of patrols he led during the previous March and April, and was promoted to captain in July. He was wounded in action for a second time in October 1917, but remained at duty. Lang was discharged in December 1917 and took up a commission in the Indian Army the following month. He returned to Australia in January 1920 and resigned in September. He re-enlisted in the Second World War with the service number QX6067 in the 2/2/ Pioneer Battalion.