Summary
Black and white photograph, dating from World War I, showing a portrait of two Arab women known to the photographer as 'Baghdad Belles'.
Part of a collection of World War I photographs associated with the service of Lionel Knox Trezise (service no. 14340), father of the donor John Trezise. Lionel was a 'reliving postmaster and telegraphist' when he enlisted on 22 March 1916. He was placed in the 1st Australian Wireless Signal Squadron as a sapper, serving with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force. During his service he apparently took photographs in India, Sri Lanka and Mesopotamia (Iraq and neighbouring regions). After returning to Australia in 1919 he married and became a public servant. He died in 1972. Lionel's brother John Gordon (Jack) Trezise also served in World War I (service no. 5105). He enlisted on 2 March 1916 while a 26-year-old shop assistant in Broken Hill, and was killed in action in France on 1 June 1918.
Description of Content
Full length portrait of two Baghdad women, dressed in arabic robes, standing side by side in front of a brick wall.
Physical Description
Black and white photograph with a handwritten inscription in pencil on the reverse. The paper is curled.
More Information
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Collection Names
Military Memorabilia Collection, Returned and Services League (RSL) Collection
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation & Subsequent Transfer from Victorian Branch, Returned & Services League of Australia Limited (RSL), Mr John Trezise, Oct 1984
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Place & Date Depicted
Baghdad, Iraq, 1917-1919
British Empire forces first entered Baghdad on 11 March 1917 and Trezise's service records note that he rejoined his unit in Baghdad after leave on 19 September 1917. -
Past Owner (Probable)
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Format
Photograph, Black & White
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Inscriptions
Reverse, handwritten: "A couple of Baghdad / "Belles" Arab Type"
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Image Dimensions - Photograph
13 cm (Length), 8.9 cm (Width)
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Keywords
Military Memorabilia, Wars & Conflicts, World War I, 1914-1918