Japanese blanket : Major H Rayson, 2/10 Field Ambulance

Khaki blanket made from a brushed wool cotton blend. The cut edges of the blanket have been bound with khaki cotton drill and a white cotton maker's label is sewn into one corner. The characters on the label have faded but those that are legible indicate the blanket was made in 1944 and passed factory inspection. Below the label is a black stamp in the shape of a star.

This blanket was issued to NX34706 Major Hugh Rayson, 2/10 Field Ambulance, while he was a prisoner of the Japanese at Kuching. Rayson was born in Petersham, Sydney on 23 October 1891. He graduated from Medical studies at Sydney University in 1914. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 3 November 1915 and embarked as a medical officer with 57 Battalion aboard HMAT Kanowna on 22 December 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions under heavy fire at Petillon during the Battle of Fromelles, 19-22 July 1916. Rayson returned to Australia with the rank of Major, embarking on 25 January 1919. Between the wars he established a general practice at Manilla, NSW. On 11 June 1940, aged 49, he volunteered for the Second AIF, and joined 2/10 Field Ambulance as second in command. In July 1941 the unit was sent to Malaya and took part in the retreat down the peninsula to Singapore. After the fall of Singapore Major Rayson was interred in Changi Military Barracks for several months before moving to the Adam Road compound in April as Senior Medical Officer for a large number of Australian and British prisoners. Here Rayson contracted Beri Beri and was sent back to Changi in May. On 8 July he was sent to Sandakan as a medical officer with B Force. A year later Rayson was transferred to Kuching Prisoner of War camp and remained there until the end of the war. He returned to Australia on the hospital ship Wanganella and spent many years in and out of hospital fighting the effects of amoebic dysentery. He died in 1962. Rayson's eldest son, Brian, also enlisted in the AIF, in April 1941. Private Rayson served initially with 8 Division Mobile Laundry but was transferred to 2/30 Battalion on 24 January 1942, just before the fall of Singapore. He also was taken prisoner and after an initial period at Changi was sent to Burma with F Force. He died from illness on 24 November 1943.