How Do Our Forebears’ Images Get to the War Memorial?

Garry Smith (left) presents Arthur's Photograph to Peter Morgan at the Australian War Memorial

In 2009 I had the great honour and excitement to be able to provide a photograph of Arthur Montague Alchin to the Australian War Memorial.

2027 Private A.M. Alchin
35th Australian Infantry Battalion

Arthur’s photograph was discovered among many other family images left by my aunt Daphne Brocklehurst (nee Alchin); she had “inherited” them from her mother Doris Alchin (nee Thompson). Fortunately Daphne was quite a hoarder – she even had her first-ever pay slip from 1948! Such behaviour is a real positive for the family historian.

Arthur Montague Alchin (1898-1917) was a faithful son to his parents – Albert Noah Alchin and especially his mother, Louisa Susannah Alchin (nee Borman). He sent a postcard from France to his widowed mother in 1917 with kisses inscribed by his own hand, just months before he was killed at Passchendaele, Belgium on 12 October 1917.

Arthur’s uncle, and brother to his mother, Frank Henry Borman, was also killed – he died at the Battle of Polygon Wood, along with Arthurs’ cousin, Oliver Henry Gordon Alchin, from Wagga Wagga.

Arthur's postcard included his
photograph and a message to his mother

The Roll of Honour in Gunning, NSW

Article and photographs provided by Garry Smith.

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