Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Carol was right ... my apologies Carol ... I wasn't reading the 'n'!!! I found it right here http://www.gamber.net/cyclebel/sambre.htm So that tells me about that photograph Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Here's a recent one of the Abbey. I'm now confused - the building to the left does look similar to the building in the old photo, but the "abbey" appears to have been "rebuilt"....... or am I looking at it from the other side??!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Thanks Chris I should have added these before ... There is a Bois d'Auleu near Namur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Aulne_JPG1B.jpg Abbey D'Aulne in Belgium Okay ... now lets deciper the name of the square Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Les, I think you're looking at a different view of the Abbey Aulne that's not in Sandra's photo. I've found one that seems to incorporate features from both Sandra's older photo and your later one (although I think it's taken from the other side of the Abbey compared to Sandra's. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Thanks Sherlock From all the photographs it is great to get a better perspective. Now you can get to work on the 'platoon in the square' if you like Bright Blessings Ms Marples Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Now for the officer - that's a much harder task! I'm certain he's an Australian, the colour patch gives it away. I'd be inclined to think he belongs to one of the following battalions: 17th, 18th, 25th, 26th with a possibility of it being the 21st, 22nd and an outside chance of it being the 19th, 23rd or 27th. I'm not convinced it's necessarily a crown on the shoulder either. We shouldn't forget that he will no doubt be wearing the curved brass 'AUSTRALIA' badge on the point of the shoulder and that's what I suspect is the curve at the bottom. Next we might be looking for an officer of one of the above battalions who was awarded the MC - there's a few of them. Let's assume we can identify his rank. What's to say he wasn't promoted after the photo was taken, therefore we shouldn't be looking for a particular ranking of officer with the MC. And who's to say he wasn't awarded the MM when just an OR and was later given a commission. Therefore we need to be looking for an officer with either the MC or MM (or any other possible awards for that matter). Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Tim ... if it is the 2nd division as suggested earlier ... the links are there from Ross's site for the patches. just depends on how the red and green are going to show up in a B & W photograph. As he has written on the back of the photos and in particular the platoon in the square ... if we can identify that one then it might give us a clue to who he is ... Ohhhh ... and the WE is you lot ... this stuff is out of my league Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Doneley Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 As he has written on the back of the photos and in particular the platoon in the square ... if we can identify that one then it might give us a clue to who he is ... My opinion - the name is in the link you gave above (http://www.gamber.net/cyclebel/sambre.htm): Marchienne-au-Pont, near Charleroi. The 26th Battalion ended up here in December 1918. So, I think this officer - and I think he is too 'old' to be a 2/Lt - is a member of the 26th Bn AIF. At this stage the 25th Battalion had been merged with the 26th (Oct 1918); officers and men of the 25th had been given permission to wear a miniature 25th Bn patch sewn over the 26th patch. This officer does not have this, indicating he is the original 26th Battalion. So... I think we are looking for a senior officer of the 26th Bn, decorated, and still alive in 1918. (or an older 2/Lt) What do you think? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Doneley Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Oh, and the 26th Bn war diary says that on the 24/12/18 the Prince of Wales visited the Bn and conferred several decorations. I think there are too many men in that square to be a single platoon. Could this be a photo of the awards ceremony? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Great Bob ... I just checked the writing on the back and the name does fit with that. As for the crowd ... there are women's hats in the front group and men's civilian hats ... would the towns people be involved? Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Doneley Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 As for the crowd ... there are women's hats in the front group and men's civilian hats ... would the towns people be involved? At this stage, end of the war, I would think you would be hard-pressed to keep them away. Have a read of the Battalion's war diary for Dec 1918 - the CO's summary makes for interesting reading about a newly liberated Belgian town. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 17 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2008 I wonder what he meant by 'platoon comp' then when he wrote that ... Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 The town may be Marchienne-au-Pont, as mentioned above. There is a Place Albert 1er ... now to see if I can find a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 And here is evidence of 26th Battalion being in Marchienne. And better yet. I have a date. From the collection of the Australian war memorial: item from Dances and Balls Souvenir Collection, 2/2/4 - "26th Battalion Ball, Marchienne-Au-Pont - 22 January 1919". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Having looked much much closer at the layout of "heads" in the "Platoon Comp" pic, if you look at the image from a more square perspective, I think the "dignitary" is near the bottom with his back to the camera along with another officer. The top and right line ups (and probably the left too but can't see anyone) have an officer stood at ease in front of only 2 rows of men each. The remainder of the heads, including those stood around the top/right edges, appear to be civvy or military just gathering around. Makes sense to me. Time for an aspirin! Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Doneley Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Having looked much much closer at the layout of "heads" in the "Platoon Comp" pic, if you look at the image from a more square perspective, I think the "dignitary" is near the bottom with his back to the camera along with another officer. The top and right line ups (and probably the left too but can't see anyone) have an officer stood at ease in front of only 2 rows of men each. The remainder of the heads, including those stood around the top/right edges, appear to be civvy or military just gathering around Perhaps it is an awards ceremony following a platoon competition? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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