Embroidered Souvenir of Eygpt : Private S L Petterson, 13 Battalion, AIF

Pale salmon pink cotton sateen cloth embroidered in machine chainstitch. The background pink was originally a deeper colour, as can be seen on the edges where the colour has been protected from the light by the frame in which it was once placed. The cloth has a border of trefoil loops in blue, yellow and cream. The two upper corners have arabesque patterns in cream and pale green. At the top are crossed flags, a British red merchant ensign and a representation of the Australian blue Commonwealth ensign. Beneath this in red is 'To Mother from her loving son Syd With second [convoy] A.I.F.'. Underneath this in gold cotton edged with red are large Arabic calligraphic letters translating 'in the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.' This phrase is from the opening sentence of the first chapter of the Koran. The Arabic is flanked on the left side by crossed Belgian and French flags, and on the right side by crossed French and Imperial Russian flags. Beneath the Arabic, in red, is 'The great European war', and finally 'SOUVENIR OF EGYPT 1915' in large pale green letters edged with gold.

Sydney Leonard Petterson was a nineteen year old shopman, living in Balmain, Sydney, when he enlisted for service in the AIF on 14 November 1914. He had previously served as a member of the militia with 30 Infantry Battalion. Petterson was allocated the service number 1048, with the rank of private, and assigned to E Company, 12 Battalion. The battalion sailed for Egypt from Melbourne on 22 December, aboard the transport A 38 'Ulysses'. After training in Egypt the battalion took part in the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Petterson was killed in action there on 29 May. Before he left Egypt he purchased this embroidered souvenir and sent it home to his mother, Caroline Petterson. The 'with second AIF' on the souvenir refers to the fact that 12 Battalion sailed in the second troop convoy to leave Australia after the declaration of war.