Gold Museum, Ballarat ~ Showcasing Ballarat's history

Our latest exhibition A Soldier’s View features the museum’s collection of photographs kept by Australian soldier, Captain Brian O’Sullivan.

Captain O’Sullivan was born in Richmond, Melbourne in 1895. After enrolling in medicine at Melbourne University in 1913, Captain O’Sullivan deferred his study when war broke out in 1914.

As an amateur photographer, Captain O’Sullivan captured his journey during World War One, offering an insight into life onboard the ship towards Europe, on the frontline and in the trenches. He also collected photographs from other photographers, such as Frank Hurley.

A Soldier’s View follows Captain O’Sullivan’s journey from his enlistment to the soldiers’ downtime and travel. We also see the reality of war as seen by the soldiers.

A Soldier’s View is open from May 16 until October 7, 2016.

Written by Danni Roberts, third year history student at Federation University.

Soldiers being attended to during a physical inspection (Gold Museum collection, 2011.0742)

Biography of Captain Brian O’Sullivan.

The Gold Museum holds a precious collection of World War One photographs belonging to Australian soldier, Captain Brian O’Sullivan. Many of these photographs were taken by Captain O’Sullivan, while others were collected during his time overseas serving the 5th Battalion.

Captain O’Sullivan on board the HMAT Demosthene, 1915 (Gold Museum collection, 2011.0811)

Captain O’Sullivan was born in Richmond, Melbourne in 1895 to parents Dr. Edward Francis O’Sullivan and Fannie Elizabeth O’Sullivan. His father pursued a career as a medical practitioner and his son would soon follow in his footsteps.  After enrolling in medicine at Melbourne University in 1913, Captain O’Sullivan deferred his study when war broke out in 1914.

Captain O’Sullivan landed in Gallipoli in 1915 where he became a Lieutenant in the 5^th Battalion, instructing soldiers on the use of trench mortar.  In 1916, he was promoted to Captain and was present during the battles of Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Corcolette and Flers.

During his time in the military, Captain O’Sullivan frequently wrote letters home accompanied by albums of photographs.

Captain O’Sullivan travelled to various locations such as Egypt, Ireland and England and was enamoured by the sights he saw as depicted in his photographs. Home was never far from Captain O’Sullivan’s mind. While based in Egypt, he wrote: ‘it was trying not hearing from home during my long stay’.

Whilst in Egypt, the soldiers visited the iconic Pyramids and the Sphinx, and socialised with civilians and children in the area.

Captain O’Sullivan’s collection provides an intimate insight into a soldier’s journey rarely seen by the public.  His photographs reveal soldiers’ downtime as they travelled towards the frontlines. The men kept themselves occupied with games such as wheelbarrow races and pillow fights.

Soldiers taking part in a wheelbarrow race on board the ship Nestor (Gold Museum collection, 2011.0798)

Captain O’Sullivan also worked as a medical officer. His letters reveal his daily routine: ‘Coffee and breakfast at 7:45, I have to inspect all isolation men (measles and mumps contacts) and then I can clean myself till 9 o clock’.

Captain O’Sullivan valued his education and returned to Australia in 1917 to complete his medical degree. Soon after graduation the call for war beckoned once more and Captain O’Sullivan rejoined the 5^th Battalion.

Although surrounded by horror and tragedy, Captain O’Sullivan still found time to write of the beauty found in the landscape. In a letter to his parents (possibly from Turkey), Captain O’Sullivan wrote ‘the country round here is very pretty in a tamed sort of way and the wild poppies and daisies make a rather pretty break in the greenery of everything’.

However tragedy struck when Captain O’Sullivan was wounded at the Hindenburg Line at the Sommes by mortar fire whilst he was instructing new recruits. He passed away from his injuries aged just 23. Captain O’Sullivan is buried at Daours Communal Cemetery Extension in France.

By taking these photographs, Captain O’Sullivan has saved these memories of World War One for future generations. Through the eyes of one soldier, we are shown the true images of the highs and lows eclipsing a soldier’s life from beginning to end.

Captain O’Sullivan’s collection appears in the exhibition A Soldier’s View, on display at the Gold Museum from May 16 to September 18, 2016.

Written by Danni Roberts, third year history student at Federation University.

The Gold Museum holds a small but significant collection relating to World War I veteran, Percy Lay.

Percy Lay was born on 8 February 1892 in Ballan, Victoria, Australia. The son of Edward and Annie Lay, he worked as a sheep and cattle dealer before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in 1914). Lay was posted to the 8^th Battalion and embarked for Egypt. He was in the 8^th landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 until Imperial forces evacuated the following year.

Portrait of Percy Lay (Gold Museum collection, 83.0408)

Lay was known for his courage and determination under duress and it was these qualities that had him promoted to the rank of lance corporal in June 1915, corporal in February 1916 and sergeant in August 1916.

He fought near Pozieres on the Western Front and won his first decoration for his refusal to leave a wounded comrade behind in the enemy trenches after an assault upon them on 18 August 1916. Percy was recommended for a Victoria Cross by the company commander but received a Croix de Guerre avec Palme award instead.

Amongst other honours on the battlefield, Lay was also awarded the Military Medal for courage on the battlefield at Bullecourt and the Distinguished Conduct Medal for leading a platoon to its final object after the wounding of his commander. For the latter honour, he was made a second lieutenant on the field . In addition, he attained the Military Cross for his taking command of an attack after the other officers had become wounded at Broodseinde near Ypres.

Percy Lay wearing his medals (Gold Museum collection, 83.0409)

In February 1918 Lay was made a lieutenant and then shortly thereafter detached to Persia in 1918 for special duty. He returned to Australia in March 1919 and was demobilised from the army, establishing a farm in Alphington near Melbourne.

Lay’s courageous deeds on the battlefield and within the army weren’t restricted to World War One. He desired to help with the World War Two effort but was generally restricted to serving in garrisons and training units in Victoria, which helped him attain the rank of major. This is where he remained until illness forced him into hospital at Heidelberg and died shortly thereafter on 28 August 1955.

Lay’s passing was met with a number of newspaper obituaries and tributes published in The Argus and Stand To.

Percy Lay’s contribution to the ANZAC legend exemplifies Australia’s baptism of fire during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and later campaigns on the Western Front such as Bullecourt, Somme and Ypres. Lay is an excellent example of the ANZAC spirit and legend within our national consciousness and memory.

Search the Gold Museum’s collection to find more material relating to Percy Lay.

Written by Richard Eldridge, history graduate from Federation University and Gold Museum volunteer.

During a visit to the Gold Museum, creative writing students from Federation University were given a tour of the museum’s World War I collection and exhibition, Are You Going Too? 

Annette Chapell leads a creative writing workshop with students at the Gold Museum (Photo: Snjez Cosic)

They viewed objects and letters belonging to World War I soldiers and their families. Sovereign Hill Historian Jan Croggon imparted her knowledge of Ballarat during the war and the soldiers’ experiences in foreign lands and on the frontline. Gold Museum Curator Snjez Cosic discussed the stories behind the objects and the process of selecting items for the exhibition.

Students then engaged in a creative writing workshop led by lecturer Annette Chappell. They produced poems based on the objects they held and stories they heard about soldiers’ experiences during the Great War.

Creative writing student Rianh Silvertree produced the following moving poems based on the experiences of Ballarat’s young men who joined the war:

Once I Was.

Photographic montage of Ballarat’s men who fought during World War I (Image: Andrew Thomas)

Once I was a little boy,

Next day I was a soldier,

Now I lie in Flanders Fields,

And never will get older.

Bullet Points.

-Green wool

-Wet sheep

-Soaked damp

-Soul deep

-Rotting socks

-Stinking feet

-Aching bones

-Constant stenches

-Death come quick

-Life in trenches

A Boy, A War.

A boy,

A war,

Roy Victor Holloway’s enlistment portrait (Image: Gold Museum collection)

A gun,

A toy.

To be a man,

He went to war.

It was the thing,

To die,

For a king.

To be a man,

To be a fool,

A gun’s no toy,

A man’s no tool.

His mother cried,

His country mourned,

His sons and daughters,

Never born.

Gold Museum’s World War I Exhibition

The Gold Museum’s latest in-house exhibition Are You Going Too? tells the story of Ballarat during World War I. Content has been drawn from the museum’s rich World War I collection featuring letters, photographs, objects and postcards.

The exhibition focuses on the experiences of four young men who went to fight. Letters and diaries record the soldiers’ journey as they went from training in the Broadmeadows Military Camp, engagement in Gallipoli and, for some, their tragic deaths. The exhibition explores the stories of the following soldiers.

Sir Albert Coates (b. 1895, Mount Pleasant) was 19 years old when he enlisted in the army. He served in Egypt, Gallipoli and Flanders as a medical orderly and later with the Intelligence Corps. Upon his return to Australia, he undertook a medical course, eventually becoming one of Australia’s pioneers in neuroscience and a mentor of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop.

Seventeen year old Roy Victor Holloway (b. 1896, Ballarat) falsified his father’s signature to join the 14^th Battalion. After training in the Broadmeadows Military Camp and Heliopolis Camp he was sent to Gallipoli and then went onto the Western Front. In 1917 he was taken prisoner by the Germans and held captive for 20 months in the Soltau prisoner of war camp. Roy returned home in 1919 where he was given a hero’s welcome.

John Benjamin Johns (b. 1889, Ballarat) joined the 11^th Battalion after having served in the 5^th AIF Infantry Regiments prior to the war. In his letters back home, he wrote of his initial excitement about life in Egypt: ‘This life is suiting me splendidly and I was never better in my life’. However as John went into battle, the realities of the war became evident. He described his time in Gallipoli as ‘an eye opener’ which ‘brought home the fact that we are on serious business’. John was killed in battle at Gallipoli in August 1915

Joseph James Lugg joined the war together with his brother Robert. Little is known about Joe but his collection of letters housed at the museum provides an insight into the young man’s faith and unwavering support of God, King and Country. Joseph was amongst those Anzacs sent to the Dardanelles and was at the landing on 25 April, 1915. He was killed in action in Gallipoli in August 1915, while his brother survived.

Are You Going Too? is on at the Gold Museum until August 2015.