27th Battalion grave photography project

The grave of 4729 Private (Pte) John Hendry, 27th Battalion, of Semaphore, SA, killed in action 18 July 1918, in Adelaide Military Cemetery, Villers Bretonneux. Left to right is the grave of 963 Lance Corporal (L Cpl) William Walter Oakley, C Company, 37th Battalion, of Briagolong, Vic, killed in action 18 June 1918; 4282 Pte Oscar Otto Harold Menner, 28th Battalion, of Tanunda, SA, died of wounds 9 July 1918; 1338 L Cpl Horace Archibald Davies, 26th Battalion, of Normanton, Qld, killed in action 17 July 1918; 6089 Sergeant (Sgt) Stanley James St Clair, 37th Battalion, enlisted Corack, Vic, killed in action 12 June 1918; 2362 Sgt Frederick Blachree Cramb, 28th Battalion, of Coolgardie, WA, died of wounds 10 July 1918. This image is one of a set of photographs of the original graves of some members of the 27th Battalion. The Battalion funded the purchase of the camera through its adjutant Captain (Capt) Southon for 5541 Pte G R Barrington to photograph the graves. The camera and negatives were then acquired by Major John L Treloar on behalf of the Australian War Museum, reimbursing costs for the camera to Capt Southon.
One of a set of 66 images requested by Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Royden Chalmers. The 27th Battalion history 'The Blue and Brown Diamond' relates that 4210 Henry Matthew Skinner MM and battalion photographer Barrington left Mont-sur-Marchienne on 2 February 1919 to photograph scattered graves of soldiers of the unit. Skinner features in a number of the images photographed by Barrington. Copies were supplied to next of kin and near relations.