Chapter 7 Photos from As You Were 1947

The photographs reproduced on pages 95/97 (above) found in an old album which recently into the possession of the Australian War Memorial. Although the leaves had become mildewed and discoloured the photographs themselves were in excellent condition. They provide an interesting record of army life in Australia sixty years ago.

Taken in 1890, the photographs provided a pictorial cover of a period spent in camp in a country area by a detachment of the New South Wales Permanent Artillery under Major F. T. B. Baynes. This was one of the oldest Australian regiments, No. 1 Battery having been formed in 1871, In 1991 there were detachments at Newcastle, Middle Head, George's Head, South Head, Dawes Battery, Bare Island and Wollongong.

One of the officers of the regiment in 1890 was Captain W. T. Bridges who was destined to fill an important role in the Commonwealth Military Forces and the First A.I.F. but there is nothing to show that he was in camp with this detachment.

The photographs are reproduced for the interest they will have for soldiers and ex-soldiers of today who no doubt will welcome the opportunity to compare the camp life of i8go with that of Liverpool and Broadmeadows, of Ingleburn and Puckapunyal. They will note some similarities and many differences.

The captions which appear beneath the photographs are in most cases those which had been written beneath them in the album.