Ada photos

I do not have any of the correspondence Athol received from his mother, Adah, his step-father Guy Sherwood, nor his two Aunts, May and Florence. Athol refers to these letters in almost all his correspondence so I imagine they wrote regularly. They also send newspapers, magazines and lots of parcels. I'm not sure how often his brothers wrote to him but none of those letters survive either.

However, I have found a few photos which seem to have been sent to Athol from his mother. Three of these appear below. They are annotated on the reverse. They are quite small, only 100mm x 60mm, but quite clear and one can make out a lot of the detail. All three photographs were taken by 'Jean' but I don't know who they are. The hand-writing is Adah's.

On the left is Adah Sherwood, Athol's mother, and the gentleman on the right is probably her husband Guy Sherwood (known to his stepsons as Pater). They stand in front of bell tents at the Royal Park army camp which was in Parkville, Melbourne. 

The notes on the reverse read:

'Royal Park Camp - taken by Jean'

I think this photographs shows the Anzac Buffet. Adah was a keen supporter and worker at this valuable support service for returning soldiers. More about the Anzac Buffet can be found at: http://notmentionedindispatches.blogspot.com.au/p/the-home-front-adah-emily-sherwood.html

The notes on the reverse read:

'The best snap we can get of the Soldiers' Refreshment Stall. Base Hospital -

taken by Jean.'

This image shows the camp kitchen at the Royal Park army camp, Parkville. 

The notes on the reverse read:

'Kitchen, 23rd Battalion, A.B.C.D. Companies

Royal Park Camp

taken by Jean.'