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Anzac Day 2024: Picturing War

Issue Date: 16 April 2024

Overview

Since the harrowing days of World War I, Australia has recognised the profound importance of capturing the emotional narratives of wartime. While official artists have long been commissioned to immortalise the valour and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women, the role of photographers in documenting their heroism has been equally significant.

This stamp issue pays homage to three of Australia's official war photographers, who courageously traversed the landscapes of conflict, immortalising moments of bravery, resilience, and camaraderie.

As we reflect upon the profound impact of war on our nation's history, these stamps and products stand as a moving tribute to those who bravely documented the stories of our servicemen and women, ensuring that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Technical specifications

Issue date	16 April 2024
Issue withdrawal date	1 November 2024
Denominations	3 x $1.50
Stamp design & Product design	Janet Boschen
Paper - gummed	Tullis Russell 104gsm Red Phosphor/Blue PVA Stamp Paper
Paper: self-adhesive	Tullis Russell 104gsm Red Phos. (Domain S/A Securpost MC 90 P11P Non-Phos)
Printer	RA
Printing process	Offset lithography
Stamp size	35 x 35
Minisheet size (mm)	170 x 80
Perforations	14.28 x 14.28
Sheet layout	Module of 50 (no design)
FDI postmark	Canberra ACT 2061
FDI withdrawal date	15 May 2024

Stamps in this issue

Herbert Baldwin

Briton Herbert Baldwin (1880–1920) was Australia’s first commissioned war photographer, engaged to record Australian troops on the Western Front in late 1916 and early 1917. Baldwin’s compelling works include sombre framings of the aftermath of bombings and intimate studies of soldiers.

Photograph by unknown photographer from the collection of the Australian War Memorial, E00222.

$1.50

Damien Parer

The first photographer commissioned by the Australian government during World War II was Damien Parer (1912–44). He served behind the lens in the Middle East and North Africa, before joining Western forces in New Guinea in 1942. Parer was tragically killed by Japanese gunfire in 1944, while covering American operations in Palau.

Photograph by unknown photographer commissioned by the Department of Information Film Unit from the collection of the Australian War Memorial, 044860.

$1.50

George Silk

New Zealand-born George Silk (1916–2004) was the second photographer commissioned during World War II. He arrived in the Middle East in May 1940 and produced powerful images in Greece, Syria, Lebanon and Tobruk, before photographing the war campaign in the Pacific.

Photograph by Edward Lefevre (Ted) Cranstone from the collection of the Australian War Memorial, 001390/31.

$1.50