PR Phot: SGT Michael (Mike) Coleridge

SGT Michael Coleridge (1933-2012) deserves a mention here as a renowned Army PR Photographer with HQAF Vietnam.

I won’t fill this post with finite detail, as his time with Army PR is well documented at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and available in following links.

I look forward to seeing comments added below from any members who may have worked with or known him.

Career detail is here:

 http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2012/01/13/mike-coleridge-1933-2012/

The image of SGT Coleridge in this post comes from here:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P00232.001/

You’ll note from the caption that the photo (likely posed) was used for an oil painting by official war artist, LT Bruce Fletcher.  More detail on him and his work is here:

https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P65056/#biography

I couldn’t find an image of the ‘Mad Mike’ painting, which is held by the AWM, however, there is a pic of LT Fletcher with some of his paintings – taken by SGT Coleridge – here:

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/EKT/67/0027A/VN/

Another interesting exhibit at the AWM is SGT Coleridge’s ID Tags:

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL35614/

Remember to Comment or Add any anecdotes relating to Mike – so that we can flesh out the man behind the story for our History.

——————  PS ————-

Graeme Henley added the following:

Please find attached the death notice for Mike Coleridge.  His funeral was attended by myself and a contingent of Image Specialists from the 1^st Joint Public Affairs Unit.

One of our Image Specialists, now WO2 Neil Ruskin,  as a CPL in 2006, tracked down Mike.  He lived near the ACT and was invited to the unit to meet his modern day counterparts.  He was a great source of inspiration to our Image Specialists.