| Accession Number | E01331 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Unknown Australian Official Photographer |
| Place made | Belgium: Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Messines |
| Date made | 29 November 1917 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Australians in the front line trenches, south of the Douve River, near Messines. This post was ...
Description
Australians in the front line trenches, south of the Douve River, near Messines. This post was held by D Company, 40th Battalion, and was subjected to heavy minesweeper strafes. Identified, left to right: 3012 Private (Pte) James Basil Brooks, and 3017 Pte Thomas Ernest Byers. Pte Brooks, labourer of Waratah, Tasmania, enlisted on 9 October 1916 and Pte Byers, farm labourer of Tunnack, Tasmania, enlisted on 1 November 1916. Both embarked from Adelaide aboard HMAT Seang Bee on 10 February 1917 for Devonport, England. After training in England, both joined the battalion on the Western Front, France, on 20 October 1917. Pte Byers was wounded in action near Albert, France, on 28 March 1918 and died later that day in 11 Australian Field Ambulance at Franvillers. He was aged 22 years. Pte Brooks survived the war and returned to Australia on 21 July 1919 for discharge in Hobart on 6 September 1919.