Studio portrait of two Australian Prisoners of War (POW) 1741 Private (Pte) George Harold ...

Studio portrait of two Australian Prisoners of War (POW) 1741 Private (Pte) George Harold Freeman, 55th Battalion from Tweed River NSW and 3592 Pte Herbert Joseph McMahen, 51st Battalion from Coolup, WA. Pte Freeman enlisted at the age of 23 on 11 January 1915 and embarked for overseas on 17 March 1915 aboard HMAT Shropshire. After serving at Gallipoli where he was wounded, he went on to serve on the Western Front where he was again wounded and captured at Fleurbaix, France on 20 July 1916. He was held as a POW in various camps in Germany until repatriated to England on 28 November 1918. Pte Freeman arrived back in Australia on 17 April 1919. Pte McMahen enlisted at the age of 24 on 29 September 1915 and embarked for overseas with the 28th Battalion on 17 January 1916 aboard HMAT Borda. He was wounded in the chest and upper arm and captured at Pozieres, France on 19 August 1916. Pte McMahen was held in a number of POW camps and recovered from his wounds but died of influenza on 2 November 1918. He was buried in the Protestant Cemetery at Recklinghausen and then in 1924 was moved to the Cologne South Cemetery, Germany. 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 204.