Captain Bean typing despatches after a hard day at Polygon Wood

Depicts a profile portrait of the head of Charles Bean, official war correspondent, wearing glasses. Australian-born, though raised in Britain, Charles Bean returned to Australia in 1904. He became a newspaper writer and in 1909 he was sent to western New South Wales to write about the wool industry. In 1914 Bean was selected to accompany the AIF as official war correspondent. He joined the troops in Egypt and on Gallipoli, and later on the Western Front. He was later appointed to write the official history of Australia in the war. Bean was a close observer of the Australian soldiers and although he cannot be credited with creating the ANZAC legend for the troops, he enshrined it for a receptive public in his volumes of the 'Official history of Australia in the war of 1914-18'. Will Dyson was the first Australian official war artist to visit the front during the First World War, travelling to France in December 1916, remaining there until May 1917, making records of the Australian involvement in the war. Dyson was appointed an Official War Artist, attached to the AIF, in May 1917, working in France and London throughout the war. His commission was terminated in March 1920.