“I was under no direct command. When the Australians were not in the actual fighting, I was with other troops in battle—English, Irish, Scots, Canadians, South Africans, and when the Americans came, I often went with them.”

Wilkins arrived back in Australia in 1916 and visited his mother (his father had died during his absence). Having made many short flights, he was convinced aeroplanes would soon revolutionize travel and exploration. To gain flying experience he enlisted in the Australian Flying Corps and sailed to Europe expecting to be a pilot in the war.

When he arrived in London, he was told that, while Australia had many young pilots, what his country really needed was a photographer.

Australia had joined the war shortly after its outbreak in 1914. When the first Anzacs were sent to fight on the Gallipoli Peninsula, many photographers had recorded the fighting. After the Australians were evacuated from the peninsula, they were sent to Europe.

The fighting at the Western Front was bogged down in the trenches and, because of the enormous death toll, the British High Command had banned cameras. As the Australians fought throughout 1916 and early 1917, war correspondent Charles Bean constantly argued that Australia should have a dedicated photographer to record the contribution and sacrifice of the Anzacs.

Finally, in August 1917, the British High Command told Bean that, if he could find a photographer, he could use one. This news coincided with Wilkins’ arrival in London and he was informed he was to equip himself with cameras and travel to France.

Wilkins crossed the English Channel with another Australian photographer, Frank Hurley, and the pair met Charles Bean, set up a dark room and commenced taking photographs. Bean and Hurley argued. Hurley left a few weeks later.

From August 1917 until the Armistice in November 1918, Wilkins photographed the fighting at the Western Front. He showed the same courage and fearlessness he had demonstrated in the Balkans War. He often went ‘over the top’ with the soldiers. He was wounded on many occasions.

Wilkins was awarded the Military Cross for crawling into No Man’s Land and bringing back the wounded. He was awarded a Bar to the Military Cross after he led soldiers in a charge against a machine gun nest. From the time he arrived he was in every battle in which the Australians fought. He ultimately produced more than 4,000 photographs, which are now preserved at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

Shortly after the end of the war, Wilkins joined Charles Bean on the Gallipoli Mission to thoroughly photograph the battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula.

By being awarded the Military Cross and Bar, Sir Hubert Wilkins became the only official Australian photographer, from any war, to be awarded a combat decoration.

When General Sir John Monash was later asked to nominate the bravest person at the Western Front, he replied that it was impossible to choose. Continually pressed to name someone, Monash finally said it was ‘Wilkins, the Photographer.’