27th Battalion grave photography project

The grave of 6042 Private (Pte) Charles Buckley, 27th Battalion, in the Noreuil Australian Cemetery. A labourer of Adelaide, South Australia, prior to enlistment on 19 September 1916 he embarked from Adelaide aboard HMAT Afric on 7 November 1916 for Plymouth, England. After training in England he joined his unit in France on 9 April 1917. Pte Buckley was killed in action near Noreuil, France, on 21 April 1917. He was aged 42 years. 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.