Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War Black and White Photographic Postcard of Pte. John Edward BAMFORD, 3591

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c. 1917

Overview

A black and white photographic portrait postcard of an Australian soldier dressed in uniform sat on a chair. The soldier is wearing a hat with the rising sun cap badge in the center, feathers to one side and a thin white band before the brim. His uniform tunic is buttoned to the top and has rising sun badges on each collar. He is wearing riding jodhpurs and high leather laced boots with spurs. He wears a watch on his left wrist and his left arm rests on the arm of his chair. His right arm and hand are resting on a high table. There is a potted plant on the table and he sits in front of a backdrop which maybe a rug as it has a fringe. The image only covers approximately 80% of the card with a large border at the bottom. The back of the postcard has proforma printing
The photograph has condition issues with damaged edges and creases at the bottom and other scratches and printing imperfections over the image. The reverse shows many stains and has evidence that it was once pasted to a page.

Historical information

During the First World War photographic portrait postcards served as a vital personal link between soldiers deployed overseas and their families at home. Soldiers frequently visited local photographic studios while training in camps or on leave for studio portraits or informal, semi posed portraits were taken in camp settings by fellow soldiers or military photographers.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2020.6.1

Item type

Postcards

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Card

Photo Paper

Width

89 mm

Height or length

139 mm

Weight

3 g

Inscriptions and markings

On back “POST CARD / CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS ONLY”.

Contextual information

Private John Edward BAMFORD 3591 was born in England in 1896 moving to live in Albany WA. He served for three (3) years as a member of the 12th Company Australian Garrison Artillery at Princess Royal Fortress Albany. He enlisted in the AIF in April 1917 at the age of 21, joining the 10th Light Horse Camel Corps and embarked from Fremantle on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on 30 June 1917. He served in Egypt and returned to Australia on 2 August 1919. During the Second World War John enlisted in the VDC 4th (Bunbury) Battalion on 26 April 1942 and was promoted to sergeant in September 1942. John Died in Collie on 28 March 1961 aged 64.

Keywords

First World War

Camel Corps

Albany

Princess Royal Fortress (the Forts)

Year

c. 1917

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria