Photo wallet and pouch : Lieutenant A N Christie, 2 Cavalry Regiment

Black leather photograph wallet. The wallet consists of a square pouch which contains a folded wallet with two internal pockets with clear plastic fronts in which photographs are displayed. A maker's stamp on the wallet reads 'SMYTHSON OF BOND STREET'.

This photo wallet was carried by Lieutenant Christie whilst serving in Iraq with the AMTG. It contains photographs of his girlfriend and was collected from him, along with his uniform and other personal items, after a patrol on 18 October 2005. The patrol, commanded by Lieutenant Christie, was tasked with the insertion of Australian Army Training Team (AATT) soldiers into the Samawah Army Barracks to facilitate the training and mentoring of Iraqi soldiers.

1811830 Lieutenant Andrew Nolan Christie was born in Brisbane on 7 May 1980. He joined the Australian Army in January 1999 and attended the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2001 before marching in to the Royal Military College Duntroon. Christie graduated after 12 months officer training and was allocated to the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) and posted to 2 Cavalry Regiment. Christie then went on to complete his six month RAAC Regimental Officers Basic Course at the School of Armour at Puckapunyal and took up an appointment as cavalry troop leader with 2 Cavalry Regiment. His troop, V33, was chosen to form part of the cavalry element of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG) which was deployed in April 2005 to conduct operations in southern Iraq. The AMTG was made up of approximately 450 personnel tasked with providing a secure environment for the Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group (JIRSG) and to assist in the training of local Iraqi Army units so that they are able to take over the internal and external defence of their country.