TWO volumes of books featuring 6500 portraits of Australia’s surviving World War II veterans were recently donated to the National Library of Australia in Canberra by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP).
The books are the result of an AIPP initiative that spanned two years and involved over 400 photographers committed to capturing Australia’s remaining veterans of the 1939-45 conflict.
Furner photographer Jacqui Bateman joined Mount Gambier photographer Frank Monger in capturing images of around 170 war veterans over an 18-month period for the Reflections project.
Tintinara-based Deanna Dunbar photographed over 100 veterans who lived in the Upper South East, Murraylands and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Ms Bateman photographed most of the veterans living around Millicent, Kingston, Naracoorte and Penola while Mr Monger covered Mount Gambier and the western Victoria including Portland, Warrnambool, Hamilton, Casterton, Edenhope, Nhill and Dimboola.
Ms Dunbar was lucky enough to be able to attend the handover of images at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra in August 2017.
“It was a very moving experience,” Ms Dunbar said.
Mr Monger said he was pleased to be involved with the project and it stood as a remarkable part of his career.
“As profevssional photographers in our own right this project gave us the opportunity to work collaboratively on a national project that will survive in Australia’s history,” Mr Monger said.
All of us were humbled to be a part of this wonderful project National Library of Australia director general Dr Marie-Louise Ayres said she was honoured to accept the books on behalf of the Australian people.
“Books such as these are such a special form of collection item, allowing previously untold stories to be told or unseen faces to be seen”, Dr Ayres said.
Reflections project national coordinator Louise Bagger described the books as the “grand finale” of the initiative.
“The books represent first and foremost, recognition of the significant contribution given by those who fought for the cause during World War II”, Ms Bagger said.
Australian War Memorial director Dr Brendan Nelson said the books were a remarkable gift given to the nation.
“There’s a lot to learn from that generation and that generation is leaving very quickly”, Dr Nelson said.
“Australians are free because of the generation from which our World War II veterans come.”
Dr Nelson said many of the World War II veterans photographed have since died but will now be remembered in the pages of the Reflections books.
