Flashback Photo Co

26/01/2025

Masked revellers celebrate Australia Day, during World War I, over a hundred years ago.

Professional photo and document restoration services. Repair damaged, faded, and torn photos with guaranteed results. Get started today with Flashback Photo Co!

14/12/2024

This incredible photo of Bondi Bay from around 1910 shows a very different world. The rolling dunes in the background have long since given way to the bustling beachside hub we know today as Bondi Beach.

Look closely, and you’ll spot a familiar landmark—the venting tower for the Bondi sewage treatment plant, affectionately referred to as “Stella the Smella” —a link to the area’s early history. The tower was completed in 1910, which places this scene in the years just before the War.

Through colourisation, we’ve brought this historical moment to life, revealing the charm of a summer day over a century ago. 🌞✨

Have a cherished photo you’d like to see transformed? Message us to learn more about our restoration and colourisation services.

01/09/2022

We retained the texture and muted tones of this old hand-coloured portrait from Cuba. Finished image printed on archival cotton rag paper to help recapture that vintage look and feel.

30/08/2022

A severely cracked convex-mounted portrait brought back to life.

29/08/2022

A beautiful hand-coloured portrait, found after decades of neglect and digitally restored. We printed the finished image on cotton rag paper for a perfectly authentic result.

01/12/2021

– Sergeant Tom Currie ‘Diver’ Derrick, VC, DCM

On the 24th of November 1943, Sergeant Tom Derrick performed a heroic assault on a heavily defended Japanese position at Sattelberg, New Guinea which would see him awarded the Victoria Cross. During the engagement, he scaled a cliff face whilst under heavy fire and silenced seven machinegun posts, before leading his platoon in a charge that destroyed a further three.

Diver saw service in North Africa prior to serving in the Pacific. It was during the First Battle of El Alamein that Tom would be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for singlehandedly destroying three machinegun positions and capturing over 100 prisoners, before destroying two German tanks using sticky bombs which had been launched in a counterattack. He then deployed with the 2/48th to the South West Pacific and participated in the Battle of Lae in the Huon Peninsula Campaign.

Following the capture of Lae, the 2/48th was involved in the capture of the town of Sattelburg. During the attack, Tom attacked a Japanese post that had been holding up the advance. Night was about to fall and an Australian withdrawal was imminent if the machinegun post could not be silenced. Advancing on his own, Diver personally destroyed the post with gr***des, before ordering his section around the right flank. When his section came under fire from another six positions, he clambered ahead, exposing himself to throw gr***de after gr***de and giving his men the opportunity to secure the ground.

He then returned to his section and then proceeded to deal with another three posts in the area. On four separate occasions he dashed forward and threw gr***des at a range of six yards until the positions were silenced. In all, Sergeant Derrick silenced many posts during the evening.

For his bravery that day, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He would later commission from the ranks before re-joining his battalion to fight at Tarakan. Derrick was killed in action on the 23rd of May 1945 whilst fighting at Tarakan.

Colourised by Flashback Photo Co

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21/11/2021

Too much of the face in this photo was missing to believably recover this image initially. Thankfully a second photo of the same soldier was found and we adjusted the lighting and focus to seamlessly blend in with the portrait.

18/11/2021

Barefoot in the trenches. 'Rats of Tobruk', November 18, 1941 (see below for details). Colourised by Flashback Photo Co.

– 2/13th Battalion awarded Battle Honour ‘Tobruk’

On the 18th of November 1941, the 2/13th Infantry Battalion (also known as the ‘Devils Own’) was awarded the Battle Honour ‘Defence of Tobruk’ for their part in the defence of the encircled city.

The Battalion’s involvement with the city commenced on the 9th of April 1941, and it was the only Battalion to see out the entirety of the Siege of Tobruk, remaining in the city for eight long months. Plans to evacuate in October were delayed when their convoy was forced to turn back from an enemy air attack, resulting in the Battalion being forced to remain in Tobruk until the siege was lifted in December following Operation Crusader.

During this period, the Battalion assisted in repelling two major German attacks. For this period, Tobruk remained the final bulwark between Rommel and Egypt. The defiance of the defenders of Tobruk raised morale in the Commonwealth and their nickname, the ‘Rats of Tobruk’ was worn with pride by those who served.

Following their relief in December, the Battalion saw action in Palestine, Syria and North Africa, including the pivotal Battle of El Alamein. The Battalion would return to Australian in 1943 where it then took part in the campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea and Borneo until the end of the war.

Colourised by Flashback Photo Co

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17/11/2021

– Battle of Sattelberg

From the 17th to the 25th of November 1943, Australians of the 9th Division participated in the Battle of Sattelberg, which was one of the critical battles of the Huon Campaign in New Guinea.

The Sattelberg station was located atop a hill approximately 8 kilometres from Finschhafen, the primary objective of the Allied invasion. The Australian 26th Brigade was tasked with capturing this objective to ensure lines of communication as the Australians advanced on Finschhafen.

Over the next 10 days, the Australians advanced west from Jivevaneng up the southern approaches to the mission, using combined tank, artillery and air support. Although the Japanese mounted a strong counterattack on the 20th of November, they were unable to dislodge the Australian positions as the Australians were able to flank around the Japanese counterattack.

Following a brief lull, the Australians resumed the offensive and by the 24th they were within striking distance of the mission atop the summit. At 1000 on the 25th of November the lead elements of the 2/48th Battalion entered Sattelberg and raised the Australian flag over the mission complex in the town.

During the heavy fighting, the Australians lost 49 men killed and a further 118 wounded. Japanese casualties were unknown but were estimated to be in the hundreds. For their participation in the battle, the 1st Tank Battalion, 2/23rd, 2/24th, 2/48th Battalions and 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion were awarded the battle honour ‘Sattelberg’. One Australian, Sergeant Tom Derrick was also awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the action. He was also given the honour of raising the flag above the mission.

Image: A casualty from the 2/23rd Battalion is evacuated from the fighting. Colourised by Flashback Photo Co

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27/10/2021

Recovery of a very damaged hand-coloured photo, using elements from other images and careful painting to match the existing image.

29/07/2021

28/07/2021

Ned Kelly in Melbourne Gaol, 1880. Colourised by Flashback Photo Co.