Summary

World War I cuttings from newspapers and magazines mounted in sample catalogue, possibly for the wallpaper company 'Thibaut'. The cuttings appear to relate to the year 1915.

The scrapbook contains photographs of more than 550 soldiers killed in the war, and 46 wounded soldiers.

The range of articles and subject matter of this album is very similar to its predecessor, album number ST 37397. There are even more stories of bravery such as 'winning the VC: most conspicuous bravery' in 'illustrated London news'. Information about prestigious soldiers such as 'the dashing duke of Westminster' may have been included to show that even the rich and famous were doing their bit.

The most striking feature of this album is the pages and pages of photographs of the faces of those who were killed, wounded, ill or missing. The faces of more than 46 wounded and 550 killed appear in this scrapbook. Many of the pages are entitled 'Australians who have fallen', adding credence to the assertion that the scrapbook owner was Australian. The portraits are formal head and shoulder images of men in full uniform. They indicate that the soldiers in question died with honour and for their country. It is important to note that even the photographs of wounded soldiers are relatively sanitised: they appear nicely bandaged, between clean sheets in an orderly and peaceful ward.

At least four of the servicemen who have been pasted into the scrapbook, Major E.A. McKenna, Cpt. R.H. Henderson, Lt. L. Blick and Sgt. (reported as 'Lt.') Wilfred Selwyn Kent Hughes, also appear in photograph albums belonging to McKenna and held at Museum Victoria - ST 40219 and 40220. The rank of 'Major' was erroneously given to McKenna by the newspapers reporting his death, McKenna served as a Captain with the 7th Battalion.

Similar to its predecessor, incidents mentioned in the articles can be used to locate the timeframe within which the scrapbook was compiled. There is an article entitled 'Corporal F.W. Holmes the Bermondsey VC hero returns home.' which must be dated after 15 January 1915, the date when Holmes was presented with the Victoria Cross. There is a notice regarding the sinking of HMS Goliath on 13th May 1915. The battle of Lone Pine, referred to in one of the clippings took place on 6th August 1915. It seems that this scrapbook picks up where no. ST 37397 finishes, beginning with articles from early 1915. The greater number of casualties is another indication that the scrapbook comes later than ST 37397 which may have been compiled before news of the extent of the carnage reached Australia.

The scrapbook was donated to Museum Victoria with three other World War I-era scrapbooks by the Returned & Services League in 1987. They had originally been donated to the RSL by a Mr Vin Barton. It is not known if he served, or was related to someone, who served in World War I. An Ernest Vincent Barton served in the Australian Army in World War II (service # VX53001 / TX1413). Born in 1907 in Colac, Victoria, he would have been in the right age range to have made one or more of the scrapbooks. A James Vincent Barton served in World War I (service # 1875). Again, his relationship to the scrapbooks is unknown.

Physical Description

Many of the cuttings have been coloured in. The cardboard cover is almost entirely missing. The scrapbook contains photographs of more than 550 soldiers killed in the war, and 46 wounded soldiers.

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