| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | P01981.018 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | December 1917 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Outdoor portrait of Prisoners of War (POW) gathered around a Christmas tree outside their ...
Description
Outdoor portrait of Prisoners of War (POW) gathered around a Christmas tree outside their barracks at a German POW camp at Preussisch Holland, east Prussia (now Paslek, Poland). Two soldiers are holding piano accordions and three are holding cats. Post card was sent to the Australian Red Cross, London by 5419 Private (Pte) Herbert Ernest Murphy, 13th Battalion, from Wellington, NSW, probably standing in back row to the right of the Christmas tree. Pte Murphy enlisted at the age of 34 on 23 October 1915 and embarked for overseas on 9 April 1916 aboard HMAT Nestor. He was captured at Riencourt, France, on 11 April 1917 and held as a POW in German camps until repatriated to England on 7 January 1919. Pte Murphy arrived back in Australia on 11 June 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, Album image number 65.