Tasmanian Soldiers
 

Queenstown soldiers in Egypt 1915.

Phil.

Nice one Phil - any names available?

Mick

Great photo! As Mick said, are there any identifications?

It is interesting to see that they are all wearing side caps and the bloke second from the right has a chin strap on his. It gives the group a very "Boer War" look.

I love the flag. I don't know about the blue background of the Union Jack but the star pattern of the Southern Cross is, I believe, that of the original 1901-1903 version of the flag.

Donny B.

Thanks Mick and Donny, no I have no names as yet, but will try to find them when next I visit the Queenstown RSL. That will be Friday.
Phil.

Hey Phil thats a great post. I agree with Donny, the flag has a 6 point Federal star, not a 7 point and the arrangement and size of the other stars is the first pattern flag not the one used during WW1. Sorry Im not sure of the date of introduction of either flag but will look it up and come back later.

Regards

Phil.

The flag shown in the post is the flag as it was designed in 1901. There are six points on the Federation star and the stars of the southern cross have five (Epsilon Crucis), six, seven, eight and nine points according to their relative brightness. It was first flown, I believe, at the Exhibition Building in Melbourne. in September 1901.

The flag approved by King Edward VII, in 1903, had the stars of the Southern Cross, except Epsilon Crucis, simplified to all seven point stars. Epsilon remained a five pointed star as it is today.

I believe that The seventh point to the Federation Star was added in about 1909 and that is the flag that we have today.

By 1915 I would have thought the flag as we know it now would have been pretty standard, especially for military purposes. Could the chaps in the photo be showing the flag off with such obvious pride because it is "new",

I know that there is a lot of agitation in some circles to change the flag and I would not want to start a debate on that issue but I do think that we have a pretty decent flag that has been carried with pride and honour for now over one hundred years.

Donny B.

Thanks chaps, for all the knowledge re: the flag. I just thought that the lighter blue in the union jack might have been there to make it stand out from the darker blue of the overall flag. All very good info and thanks again. Still searching for names.

Phil