White chiffon 'Souvenir of France' handkerchief : Private J Booth, 20 Battalion AIF Accession Number: REL/18306

Description

Square white chiffon souvenir flag with a grey cotton machine edged border. The top right hand corner is hand embroidered with the flags of Belgium, Italy, Serbia and the United Kingdom and a posey of pansies tied with a ribbon coloured red, white and blue. The design is titled 'SOUVENIR de FRANCE'. The opposite corner is marked in purple indelible pencil 'To Aunt Portia Love From Jack 29/6/16'.

Contextual Description

Related to the service of 164 Private John (Jack) Booth, A Company, 20th Battalion. A shipwright of Balmain, NSW, he enlisted in March 1915 and embarked on HMAT Berrima in June of that year. This souvenir handkerchief was purchased in France by Private Booth and sent home as a present to his aunt, Portia Bennett. He was transferred to the 20 Battalion ten days before it went into the lines at Broodseide Ridge, Passchendaele. He was noted as missing in action on 9 October 1917, but it was later changed to killed in action after his pay book was handed in, that had been removed from his body. He was buried near where he fell. His body was not recovered, or recovered but not identified after the war and his name is listed on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.

Details

Accession Number
REL/18306
Maker
Unknown
Classification
Heraldry
Object Type
Heraldry
Physical Description
Material: Chiffon
Material: Cotton
Measurement
Overall: 346 mm x 344 mm
Date Made
c 1916
Place Made
Whole/Part
Whole
Item Count
1
Copyright
Status to be assessed

Conflicts

Places

Units

Tags

Accession REL/18306

More like this

Egyptian souvenir handkerchief

Heraldry REL/06662 First World War, 1914-1918

White silk chiffon souvenir handkerchief with a double sided, colour printed chiffon border 30mm wide, applied with drawn threadwork. The border shows repeat scenes of soldiers fighting on foot, horse

See more similar items →

Record information

Last modified: 1 May 2023 - 2.32 am