Sgt. J. H. Hooke's tent at Broadmeadows

Depicts tents at a training camp at Broadmeadows, Victoria, at the beginning of the First World War. Soldiers are around the camp. Broadmeadows, a rural settlement to the west of Melbourne, was the site of the main camp for the reception and training of recruits for the AIF from Victoria early in the First World War. The camp was established in August 1914 at "Mornington Park", a property loaned to the government by Mr R.G. Wilson. Early on, Broadmeadows was predominantly a tented camp and conditions were quite spartan. These facilities, combined with wet weather and poor drainage resulted in a rapid increase in sickness among recruits in Autumn 1915. Public concern, fuelled by sensationalist press coverage, resulted in a decision in May 1915 to re-establish the main Victorian training camp at Seymour, approximately 100 kilometres north of Melbourne. Broadmeadows Camp remained in use throughout the war, however, with facilities being progressively improved.

Sergeant John Huon Hooke (274) enlisted in August 1914 at the age of 24. He had previously worked as a clerk and had served two years as a senior cadet in a 2nd Battalion colonial force in Bendigo until it was disbanded. He was assigned to the "C" Company of the 6th Battalion, AIF. After training at Broadmeadows Hooke embarked overseas on HMAT Hororata in October 1914. He participated in the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, where he was wounded in action and transferred to a hospital ship. He died from the wounds received sometime before 30 April 1915 and was buried at sea.