Camera shy ?

The State Library of Queensland has a number of First World War items that have proved difficult to identify. One in particular, is quite a puzzler. The snippet above is from a large mounted photograph entitled ‘Army group portrait’, that was donated to the library in 1986.

The image has been digitised and preserved and is available freely to download in high resolution from the State Library catalogue.

The photograph is annotated on the rear with the following -  ‘possibly regiment which was under the command of … Col. Annand’.
It is dated 15 March 1918, and there are 144 men pictured, but there are very few other clues.

One member of the group in particular was reluctant to have his photograph taken, taking care to make sure his ‘giggle’ hat is pulled right down over his face.

Here are some observations -

• Not everyone is kitted out with their uniform, so perhaps they are still in the training camp.
• There are two corporals seated at either end of the front row, holding signal / semaphore flags.
• They are wearing brass numbers on their caps

Read more ...

• John Laverty, 'Annand, Frederick William (1872–1958)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
• OM71-28 Frederick William Gadsby Annand papers