Signed postcard of WWI transport ship HMAT A72 Beltana

HMAT A72 Beltana was owned by the Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Co, Ltd, London. She was used on the London to Cape Town, Melbourne and Sydney route prior to World War One. She was leased by the Commonwealth until 14 Sep 1917 during which time she made at least five journeys between Australia and Egypt or England, before being transferred to the British Admiralty and used on the North Atlantic route, transporting US personnel to Europe.
This postcard has been signed mainly by men of the 30th Battalion who embarked from Sydney on 9 November 1915. Two other men were transported on a different ship and met up with the others later.
The postcard was signed on 31 August 1916 after their arrival in France and before they went into action.

This is a list of those men identified through their names and service numbers:

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 9 November 1915

CADDEN, Robert Labertouche 797 30th Battalion, D Company
CAWOOD, Charles 134 30th Battalion, A Company
CLAYDON, Walter Herbert 133 30th Battalion, A Company
CONNORS, William James Clarence 130 30th Battalion, A Company
DODDS, Tommy (Frank?) 149 30th Battalion, A Company
DONNELLAN, Tom 150 30th Battalion, A Company
DUNN, Edward Ernest 146 30th Battalion, A Company
FISK, Stanley Howell 164 30th Battalion, A Company
GILDERTHORPE, Geo Fred 171 30th Battalion, A Company
HALL, William Arthur 182 30th Battalion, A Company
HEDGES, Leonard Jack 186 30th Battalion, A Company
JELFS, Reginald Albert 203 30th Battalion, A Company
KIDDLE, Cecil James 206 30th Battalion, A Company
LEWIS, Harold William 218 30th Battalion, A Company
MURRELL, Sydney 235 30th Battalion, A Company
OLSEN, Hans 252 30th Battalion, A Company
PEACHEY, George Elijah 266 30th Battalion, A Company
PENROSE, John Edmund 265 30th Battalion, A Company
RICHARDS, Charles Henry 277 30th Battalion, A Company
STUART, Donald 1227 30th Battalion, A Company

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on 16 February 1916
BACON, Alfred George 1973 30th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements
LISTER, Ernest Henry 2089 30th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements

The identity of the person who sent the postcard, Alick, is unknown.