Maitland Family photographs
Collection
5 photographic postcards relating to the service of brothers Reginald Gordon Maitland and Francis William Maitland, during the First World War. Reginald Maitland who served with the 11th Australian Machine Gun Company, he was killed in action 1 June 1917 at Messines, France. Frank Maitland served with the 41st Infantry Battalion in France. Wounded in action and hospitalised with Trench Fever, he returned home to Australia in May 1919.
Brothers Reginald (Richard) and Francis (Frank) Maitland were born to Frank Maitland and Ellen Hewitt. Ellen died in 1903 and their three children were placed in care, the youngest Dorothy born just two years prior. Barely 19 years old, Reginald Gordon Maitland enlisted in March 1916 and was assigned to the 11th Australian Machine Gun Company, he arrived in England in November 1916 and proceeded to France shortly after. He was admitted to hospital several times early in 1917 having contracted mumps and then laryngitis. Reginald rejoined his unit in the field in April 1917 when the Battalion was deployed east of Albert. On 2 June 1917 while preparing to move to the trenches, prior to the attack on Messines Ridge, Private Reginald Maitland, acting as a brakeman on one of the wagons, halted near Ploegstreet Wood. A high explosive shell burst nearby and wounded three men including Reginald Maitland. Taken to a dressing station, it was here that he died, and was buried the following day.
Out of copyright.