State Library of South Australia

Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, VC [SRG 435/5/429] • Photograph

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Summary

Studio portrait of Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, VC, in military uniform and wearing a peaked cap.

Restrictions

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Physical description

1 photograph : black and white ; 17.8 x 12.7 cm

Dates / Publication details

Approximately 1917

Collections

Part of RSL Collection
Part of Portrait Collection

Subject

Blackburn, Arthur Seaforth, 1892-1960
Australia. Army -- Officers
Soldiers -- South Australia
Military uniforms -- South Australia
World War, 1914-1918 -- South Australia

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

Historical information

Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, VC was born on 25 November 1892 at Woodville, South Australia, to Thomas and Margaret Blackburn. He enlisted with the AIF on 24 August 1914, Service No. 31, and served as a Private with the 10th Battalion, embarking from Adelaide on board the Ascanius on 20 October 1914, and serving in Gallipoli, being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in August 1915. On 23 July 1916 at Pozieres, France, Blackburn led an attack, capturing many yards of trench from the enemy, for which he became the first South Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. Blackburn returned to Australia in 1917 and during the inter-war years he took part in legal practice and was also a founding member of the Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League in South Australia (RSL), serving as President of the State branch from 1917 to 1921. Blackburn enlisted with the Second AIF on 18 June 1940, Service No. SX6962, and, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion in Syria. In February 1942 he was promoted to Brigadier and appointed to command 'Black Force' to assist the Dutch against the Japanese advance in Java, but was forced to surrender and held as a prisoner of war until 1945. Blackburn was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1946, and Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1955. After the war, Blackburn served as a conciliation commissioner in the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, and as State president of the RSL from 1946-1949. He died on 24 November 1960 and is buried in the Australian Imperial Force section of the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Digitisation information

Date

23/06/2015

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

6,224 x 8,576 pixels (53.4 MP)

Size

160.15 MB

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