Outdoor portrait of Australian Prisoners of War (POW) at Friedrichsfeld POW camp, Germany. ...

Outdoor portrait of Australian Prisoners of War (POW) at Friedrichsfeld POW camp, Germany. Identified, back row, Roy Alexander Stephens, third from right; fifth from the left is 2053 Corporal (Cpl) John Williamson from Perth, Western Australia and standing in second back row, fifth from the left is 214 Sergeant (Sgt) Hugh McLatchie Orr from Perth, Western Australia, both of the 16th Battalion. Cpl Williamson enlisted at the age of 21 on 18 February 1915 and embarked for overseas on 26 April 1915 aboard HMAT Hororata. He was wounded in action at Gallipoli in September 1915 but recovered to go on to serve on the Western Front. Awarded a Military Medal (MM) for his devotion to duty at Mouquet Farm, France, in October 1916, he was then captured at Riencourt, France, on 11 April 1917. He was held as a POW in Germany and believed to have escaped twice and nearly made it to the Dutch border. Amongst his possessions is a map of that area, drawn on grease proof paper and believed to have been traced by a French POW cook. Cpl Williamson was repatriated to England on 22 November 1918 and arrived back in Australia on 24 February 1919. Sgt Orr enlisted at the age of 23 on 18 September 1914 and embarked for overseas on 22 December 1914 aboard HMAT Ceramic. After serving at Gallipoli, he went on to serve in France where he was captured at Riencourt, on 11 April 1917. He was held as a POW in Germany until repatriated to England on 22 November 1918. Sgt Orr arrived back in Australia on 10 April 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 77.