| Accession Number | H19432 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c June 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Studio portrait of Private George Julian (Snowy) Howell, 1st Battalion. Later awarded the ...
Description
Studio portrait of Private George Julian (Snowy) Howell, 1st Battalion. Later awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) and Military Medal. Sergeant (Sgt) Howell was awarded the Victoria Cross whilst serving as a Corporal (Cpl) for "conspicuous bravery" on 6 May 1917, near Bullecourt, France. Cpl Howell climbed onto the top of a parapet and under heavy fire proceded to bomb the enemy, pressing them back along the trench. After he exhausted his stock of bombs, he continued to attack the enemy with his bayonet, before being severely wounded. A month before this action he was awarded the Military Medal "for courage and devotion to duty while leading a rifle bombing section" during the battalion's capture of the village of Demicourt. He returned to Australia and was discharged on 5 June 1918. He later served as a Staff Sergeant at Headquarters, Eastern Command, during the Second World War before joining the United States Sea Transport Service in August 1944.