27th Battalion grave photography project

Place Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Peronne
Accession Number J00045
Collection type Photograph
Object type Negative
Maker Barrington, Glen Roy
Place made France: Picardie, Somme, Peronne
Date made c February 1919
Conflict Period 1910-1919
First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

A soldier, 4210 Sergeant Henry Matthew Skinner MM, stands over the grave, marked with two crosses and downturned rifle and steel helmet, of 4211 Private Walter Leonard Slape, 27th Battalion, of Adelaide SA, killed in action 2 September 1918, in Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension. 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 Skinner 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.