Orcades sailor doll : Private J C Arney, 2/3 Battalion, AIF

Velveteen sailor doll. The doll's body is made from twelve separate velveteen sections (blue arms, legs, body and apricot hands, feet head and ears) and the head is painted in the Wellings style, with brown hair, eyebrows and lashes, black upper right glancing eyes, red nostrils and lips and white teeth. The head is moulded with a dimpled smile and prominent cheeks. The legs are constructed with wide cuffs to imitate a bellbottom style. The doll wears a white cotton sailor's flat cap with a black rayon cap band, and a small printed cotton 'ORCADES' panel sewn to the front. The cap is tacked to the head. The doll's square collar is in light blue cotton with a sewn hem and is supplied with a black rayon tie and a white cord lanyard. A small printed cotton label bearing the legend 'MADE IN ENGLAND / BY / NORAH WELLINGS' is sewn to the base of the proper left foot.

Norah Wellings souvenir sailor doll purchased on the transport 'Orcades'. by NX5449 Private John Charles Arney for Ethel May Regan, who Arney would later marry. Arney, a motor mechanic, was born 27 November 1918 at Helensburgh, NSW. He enlisted on 26 October 1939 at Narromine, NSW. After training, Arney embarked for overseas service with 2/3 Infantry Battalion aboard the 'Orcades', which disembarked at Kantara, Egypt on 14 February 1940. Arney posted the doll from Jerusalem, Palestine in March 1940.

• Palestinian Customs Declaration for doll : Private J C Arney, 2/3 Battalion, AIF