Studio portrait of two Australian Prisoners of War (POW) at German POW camp Cottbus, Germany. ...

Accession Number P03236.013
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Print silver gelatin
Maker Tharan, Paul
Place made Germany
Date made c December 1917
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Studio portrait of two Australian Prisoners of War (POW) at German POW camp Cottbus, Germany. Identified 5760 Private (Pte) Robert Griffin Russell, 1st Battalion, from Pyrmont NSW (sitting) and 3775 Pte Albert Ernest Liney, 1st Battalion, from Sydney NSW (standing) . Pte Russell enlisted on 17 January 1916 and embarked for overseas on 3 June 1916 aboard HMAT Kyarra. He was reported missing after an engagement near Fleurs, France on 5 November 1916 and was held as a POW until he was repatriated to England in December 1918. He embarked to return to Australia in March 1919. Pte Liney enlisted on 22 August 1915 and embarked for overseas on 11 December 1915 aboard RMS Mooltan. He was captured at Fler Alley near Bapaume, France on 5 November 1916. He was wounded by a bullet in his right arm and the arm was amputated above the elbow. He was repatriated to England via Holland in January 1918 and arrived back in Australia in June 1918. Handwritten note on back of photograph reads "Dear Miss Chomley, On this card you will find two of your orphans in Germany. Xmas greetings from Pte R.G. Russell and Pte Liney." 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 25.

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