Title / object name  Bridge, Lance

Maker	Date
Berry & Co	circa 1914

Materials  photographic gelatin, sheet glass, silver, photographic plates

Dimensions

180 (Height) x 163 (Length)

Format  half plate (1/2)
Classification  studio portraits, portraits, black-and-white negatives, gelatin dry plate negatives
Registration Number  B.044984
Credit Line
Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds

This copy photograph shows Private Lance Bridge service number 8/2255. Lance is the soldier photographed with his hat on, the other soldier is currently unidentified. The photo was taken at the Berry Co. photographers in Wellington, a well-known studio established in 1897 by William Berry.

Lance was 26 years old at the time he attested for service. Born in Wellington in 1888 he was working as a Clerk for Dunlop Rubber Co., in Courtenay Place, Wellington.

Lance was first assigned to the ‘Samoan Advance Party’ based in Apia which embarked on 15 August 1914. On the 17 April 1915 he left for Gallipoli as part of the Otago Infantry, 4th Reinforcements.

Lance died of wounds obtained while in the field at Gallipoli. He was badly wounded when assisting his wounded comrades at Chunuk Bair in August 1915. He subsequently refused to be taken onto the hospital ship until others worse off than him were seen to (Hutchinson, p.55). 'He lay for two days in the hot sun, with only food or water given by passing soldiers' (Hutchinson, G., 'Pilgrimage - a Traveller's Guide to New Zealanders in Two World Wars,  p.55). Eventually he was taken onboard the Hospital Ship 'Dongola' the  where he died on 13 August 1915. He was buried at sea.

The identification of people in the Berry Co. photos is an ongoing project. If you have any information about the soldiers or other people in this collection we would like to hear from you. Please contact a history curator through our enquiry centre 04 381 7000 or mail@tepapa.govt.nz

Reference: Hutchinson, G.  Pilgrimage - a New Zealand Traveller's Guide to New Zealanders in two World Wars. Penguin, 2012