Interesting old family photo as it includes Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood on the Left.

In November 1914, Birdwood was instructed by Lord Kitchener to form an army corps from the Australian and New Zealand troops that were training in Egypt.

He toured Australia in 1932 and based on newspaper reports at the time I presume this photo was taken in Aug during a wreath laying ceremony in Perth. My Grandmother Grace Fletcher and “Teddy Fletcher” (my Dad) on the right. My Grandfather Edward Fletcher (Snr) was working at the West Australian Newspapers at the time and may have taken this photo.

Also shown is “the lionheart” Sir Talbot Hobbs on 8 August 1914 he was selected to command the 1st Australian divisional artillery. After training in Egypt, he was at the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

Hobbs was then promoted Brigadier General and in March 1916 he went with the first Australian division to France, and was in command of the Australian artillery when Pozières was captured.

On 1 January 1917 he was given command of the Australian 5th Division and was made a Major General.
This division was in the thick of the fighting in the spring of 1917 / 18 and distinguished itself at Polygon Wood, Villers-Bretonneux and Amiens. Breaking these lines started the german capitulation and ended the war.
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hobbs-sir-joseph-john-talbot-6690

Those left behind... My Great Aunt Peggy Jones (nee Larter) she met Sydney Jones, a piano tuner, in London and they were married in 1915. Just two months later he was serving on Flanders fields and died there in 1917. 

Peggy never re-married, lived and worked in Australia with the only family she had left, my grandmother Grace Fletcher. She became a specialist in preparing baby foods for the Heinz company and travelled throughout Queensland promoting their products. 

She past away at 101 years of age in Perth. 

My Great Uncle George Larter landed at the beaches of Gallipoli at dawn on the 25th of April 1915 at the age 23 years, and died there a few days later.