CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. 1956-07-23. DETAILS OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE MOSAIC ...

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. 1956-07-23. DETAILS OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE MOSAIC PAVEMENT, ALL THAT REMAINS OF A SIXTH CENTURY BYZANTINE CHURCH, WHICH WAS DISCOVERED BY AUSTRALIAN FORCES NEAR SHELLAL, IN PALESTINE, ON THE 1917-04-17, DURING THE SECOND BATTLE FOR GAZA. IT HAD BEEN UNCOVERED BY TURKISH TROOPS WHEN DIGGING A MACHINE GUN POST, AND IN THE PROCESS A LARGE PORTION OF THE MOSAIC HAD BEEN UNFORTUNATELY DESTROYED. THE MOSAIC WAS REMOVED BY AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEERS WITH CONSIDERABLE SKILL UNDER MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS AND IS NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL.