Soldiers waiting to board the troopship OMRAH, Melbourne

Images(2)

Soldiers waiting to board the troopship OMRAH, Melbourne

Photographer Josiah Earl Barnes (Australian, 1858 - 1921)

Date17 January 1917

Object number00027621

NamePhotograph

MediumPhotographic print on paper

DimensionsOverall: 122 x 165 mm, 1 mm, 0.04 kg

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionPhotograph by Josiah Barnes of soldiers waiting to board the troopship OMRAH with the interior of the Melbourne terminal forming the backdrop. Two of the men in the front row carry Union Jacks and another man is seated on his kit bag. The reverse of the print has a lead pencil inscription reading: `OMRAH 13'. The men are possibly from the 10th Reinforcements, 7th Machine Gun Section.HistoryMelbourne based photographer Josiah Barnes had two sons, Norm and Victor, who left for war in 1916 (both returned to Australia after their service). Barnes appears to have taken an interest around this time in photographing the troopships as they departed for war from Melbourne. The steamer OMRAH was built by Fairfield and Company in Glasgow in 1899. OMRAH was owned by the Orient Steam Navigation Company and used for the England to Australia service before being requisitioned as a troopship during WW1. OMRAH was torpedoed and sunk in early 1918 in the Mediterranean sea.