Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War Photograph of Australian Soldiers & New Guinea Natives with a Supply Wagon

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Pte. Eric BANNISTER

c. 1914

Overview

First World War black and white photograph showing Australian soldiers and New Guinea natives with a wagon of supplies. A handwritten blue ink cross marks one of the Australian soldiers as Pte. Eric BANNISTER.

Historical information

This series of black & white photographs was collected by Private Eric Sydney BANNISTER, regimental number 19. He joined the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) on the 11th August 1914, just a week after war was declared on Germany. The mission of the ANMEF was to destroy German radio stations and occupy German New Guinea and surrounding areas. The ANMEF secured military occupation on the 13 September 1914. The photographs of his deployment are of national significance and show one of Australia’s first military action in the First World War.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2018.3.8

Item type

Photographs

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Photographic Paper

Width

106 mm

Height or length

81 mm

Weight

1 g

Inscriptions and markings

Handwritten in blue ink on rear, "In New Guinea / 1914 / Gone on Out Post / Ratawul Pass / 1914".

Contextual information

This photograph showing Australian soldiers and New Guinea natives with a supply wagon was taken near Ratawul Pass, (as indicated on rear of photo). This Pass, also known as the "Ratawul Tunnel" is a historical site in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. The tunnel was constructed by the Germans between 1904 and 1907. The photo shows Pte. Eric BANNISTER standing at the rear of the wagon, (as indicated by a 'x').

Keywords

World War 1

New Guinea

Ratawul Pass

Australian Naval and Military Expedition Force

Place made

Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

Year

c. 1914

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance