The front of the wrecked Cavalry Barracks when it was used as a depot of the Australian Ordnance ...

The front of the wrecked Cavalry Barracks when it was used as a depot of the Australian Ordnance Corps. Prior to the Australians capturing Peronne, the Germans used this building as a very large military school. When it was taken over by the Australian Army Ordnance Corps, they found very large quantities of German material, a number of grenades and shells and chemical appliances. Before evacuating the Germans planned its destruction. Large holes were blown through the supporting walls by shells electrically exploded, and buried mines which the Germans left to complete the scheme. The plan did not succeed completely; one mine was discovered and removed by the 1st Tunnelling Company. The front wall and a large number of rooms survived, but the rear wall was absolutely demolished. The GS wagon and the team shown in the foreground belonged to one of the Australian Mobile Field Artillery Brigades. A large gun carriage and limber are awaiting repair by No. 5 Ordnance Heavy Mobile Workshop, a portion of whose improvised workshop is shown in the right foreground. The small field guns shown on the left are German field pieces which had been captured by one of the Australian Divisions, overhauled in the workshop, and are ready to be delivered to one of the Australian units to be used against the Germans. The date of the building is 1833. Note the Australian flag which marks approximately the centre of the Barracks.