HARRY "CANNONBALL" BAKER & CO

 In my line of work we have to do a fair bit of historical research. Which means we come across some very cool old photos. This time round it's a series of three photos, pretty much the same subject matter, but they just sort of grow in content as they move along. You'll get my gist below...

If you embiggen the photos you'll see what I mean and might be be as intrigued with them as I am. So I'm gonna break them down a bit, but first a little background info.

The main focus of these images is the little two seater Klemm L25-1 aircraft in the background. It was imported into Western Australia in 1929 and registered to a Hermann Christian Ittershagen, who was the German Consul General for WA. Hermann was also the local distributor for Lanz Tractors. He had announced that he was going to train eight of his tractor experts to fly the Klemm so they could service his farmer tractor customers across this huge state. Keep in mind that Western Australia is a little over three times bigger than Texas. I have no idea if his little gem of an idea every saw fruition but on the occasion of these photos Hermann has had his company pilot, one Harry "Cannonball" Baker test fly it to a farm, which he did from Hermann's private airfield in West Subiaco (I seriously need to know where that airstrip was excactly).

Harry was quite the lad adventurer and was one of Sir Norman Brearley's first proteges (local peeps will recognise Brearley's name on the main road into the Perth International Airport.

Which brings us back to these photos and in particular the bottom shot, the one with all the protagonists in play. There's so much going on here that I think we need to break it down into sections, from left to right. I'm going to make a lot of assumptions here based on very little proof because I can and because you'll have to prove me wrong if I'm wrong!

My first thought seeing this photo (without reading the caption) was that it was a bunch of people showing off their favourite things. "We're gonna take a photo of the plane, so go get the tractors, and the trucks, and your wood saw and that axe... and don't forget the dog!"

Which probably isn't true at all, but some of it kinda fits the vibe. It's definitely a shot to show off the plane and those are likely Lanz tractors and there's a bunch of local farmers in a newly cleared field and well, let's get on with the break down. Oh and the photo is most likely taken out on a farm in Miling, Western Australia in 1929.

Our first bunch of peeps look to be three farmers or farm hands with a horse that doesn't know it's supposed to sit still for photos. A possible Lanz tractor that the dude driving it did not want to turn off, not even for a photo. The only lady in the shot looks quite well dressed for a farm worker, so maybe the farmers wife, over dressed for field work anyway.

Possibly my fav bunch of dudes are in this photo. L to R: Maybe a one armed man? World War 1 was only 10 years prior so there's a chance, he could also just have his left arm tucked behind him, but I prefer my first assumption. The proudest doggo ever, look at his chest all puffed up and stout, also understands photo stillness. Then we have country suit guy who I'd guess is also a farm worker. Proud as punch tall guy with the slightly enlarged head, but no tie, so I'm gonna assume he's a farm worker who just dressed up a bit for the occasion and took his hat off to show of that huge scone. Then there's the sweater twins. Surely they have a mum who likes to knit and only knows one actual pattern, which she varies, one of them brought the axe along as requested, the other knows how to wear a hat.

Here we have tree saw guy, who surely has dropped his fair share of native bushland with that weapon. Next to him has to be a big city gangster who's hiding on the low out in the country but just can't quite seem to fit in. Then we have second tier axe guy. No sweater for him and he also refuses to wear his hat during a photo session. Finally what has to be our first actual land owning farmer. I'm basing this entirely on the fact that he's wearing a tie and does not look like old mate "Bugsy Malone" two guys back

THIS is a horse that knows how to take a photograph. Dead still, such pioise and grace, or just plain tired as hell. Next to him I'm assuming is the one and only Cannonball Baker. I mean, leather coat and possibly a leather flying cap in his right hand do not scream farmer but do suggest "fly boy". Also that nose is unmistakenly Cannonball's noggin. We can't really see the Klemm all that well because of the suave/tired horse so i'll drop a clear shot below.

The Klemm L25-1 in all her glory

Lastly, but by no means least, we have two definite country farm lads with spectacular hats and in the foreground I'm gonna assume we have a Lanz Tractor executive or tractor maintenance/technician guy who is gonna have to learn to fly or lose his job real soon (rolled up sleeves lean me more towards him being the maintenance/technician guy) and surely the portly gentleman at the end is none other than Hermann Christian Ittershagen himself. The three piece with tie and stylishly trimmed hat suggest he's more than a farmer and he kind of looks German right?

Well, that's my breakdown, I'm sure I nailed it, heck of a photo huh!? Oh and also the photo below suggests to me that old Hermann did get his flying tractor service off the ground, so to speak, or was at least very very intent on doing so. Also if you compare the exhaust tops of the tractors in the rear of the photo below and the ones in the photos above proves it's Lanz tractors all the way down madam.

A display for Klemm Light Plane and Lanz Bulldog Tractors at the Centenary Royal Show. 1929