27th Battalion grave photography project

The graves of 1595 Private (Pte) Sturt Charles Goodfellow, 27th Battalion, 1228 Pte Sydney Charters Pilcher, 49th Battalion and 1118 Pte Philip Henry Hancock, 26th Battalion. Pte Goodfellow, a commercial traveller from North Unley, SA prior to enlistment, embarked with the 1st Reinforcements from Adelaide on HMAT Geelong on 31 May 1915 and was killed in action on 23 April 1918. Pte Pilcher, a farmer from Charters Towers, Qld prior to enlistment embarked with D Company, 42nd Battalion from Sydney on HMAT Borda on 5 June 1916. Later transferring to the 49th Battalion he was killed in action on 5 April 1918, aged 25. Pte Hancock, a labourer from Liffy, Tas prior to enlistment, embarked with D company from Brisbane on HMAT Aeneas on 29 June 1915 and on 27 April 1918 he was killed in action aged 26. All three men were buried in the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France. 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.