Collection relating to 2185 Private William Rhodes Hair, 59th Battalion

Accession Number AWM2017.87.1.2
Collection type Photograph
Object type Frame, Postcard
Maker Unknown
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Large framed commemorative board relating to 2185 Private (Pte) William Rhodes Hair, 59th Battalion. Held in the original frame, this object includes a seven postcards from England, synthetic flowers, painted leaves and several hand-sewn greetings. Some of these cards have annotations on reverse from William to his sweetheart.

A labourer from Cooper's Creek, Victoria, Private William Rhodes Hair enlisted on 27 April 1916. Following training, Pte Hair embarked for overseas service aboard HMAT A67 Orsova on 1 August 1916 and arrived in France as part of reinforcements to the 59th Battalion. Pte Hair was wounded for the second time on 25 September 1917 and later died of his wounds on 28 October 1917. He was 21 years old. Pte Hair was buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, France.