War photograph reveals the faces of 178 Australian soldiers who have not been identified

A PORTRAIT of 178 Australian soldiers taken during World War One will go on display, in the hope that the public can help identify them.

Another viewpoint ... the members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

MANY of the 178 faces in the formal “team” portrait captured by official war photographer Cyril Jackson in France in February 1919 show the strains of combat.

Some have the “thousand yard stare” fixed in their eyes while others flash a cheeky grin and many, especially the officers with their boots polished and uniform impeccably turned out, maintain a stiff upper lip.

Some of the older soldiers wear campaign ribbons on their chest indicating service in earlier conflicts, but the saddest part about this extraordinary 96-year-old image is that no one knows the identity of any of the survivors of the “war to end all wars”.

Members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade photographed at Sains du Nord in France on February 21, 1919 by official war photographer Cyril Jackson.

A six-metre by seven-metre enlargement of the incredible shot will be the centrepiece of an exhibition at the FAD Gallery/Bar in inner-city Melbourne from April 15 to May 16.

According to exhibition organiser Brian O’Rourke gallery owner Johnny Halleday was given the image by his late father Frank Halleday.

Neither man knew anything about it apart from speculation that it might have been a Light Horse Regiment and was perhaps taken in Belgium in 1916.

The leather gear worn by many of the soldiers indicates a link to horses that were used widely for transport on the Western Front.

Mmore members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

After News Corp contacted Australian War Memorial Historian Ashley Ekins the photo (E05088) was tracked down via the memorial’s incredible collection to Sains du Nord in France on February 21, 1919.

The visit by Mr Jackson that day is recorded in the official war diary of the 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

Another viewpoint ... the members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

The Memorial also has another image (E04962) that is similar to Mr Halleday’s in its collection and like the gallery owners it has no idea of the identity of any of the soldiers in the image that was recorded on glass plates using a Cirkut camera.

“There are some big, tough looking boys in there, especially the Sergeants to the left of the officers as you look at it,” Mr Ekins said.

“Some of them could be farriers as well.”

The chevrons (length of service insignia) show that some of them have three or four years-service which indicates a long time at the front.

Know anyone? ... Members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

Mr O’Rourke said the gallery would also run a social media campaign in a bid to identify as many of the men as possible.

“We believe that the photo is of significant historical importance and we think the naming of the soldiers would provide a familial connection to them and their stories in a way that most other commemorative events may not, particularly for young people,” he said.

Unknown ... members of the Australian 13th Field Artillery Brigade.

“As you can see from the photo, it is quite poignant in its mood, and the pathos on the faces of some of the soldiers … is palpable.”

Mr O’Rourke said he hoped that the exhibition and the publicity would encourage anyone with any clues about the men’s identities to come forward.

“This will provide an historical and cultural record of a generation of Australian men who were defending our way of life through their war service,” he said.

Originally published as War photograph reveals the faces of 178 Australian soldiers who have not been identified