Sweetheart pendant : Sergeant J E Patterson, 9 Australian Infantry Battalion

Cut-out Perspex heart with a triangular metal loop at the top to allow it to be attached to a necklace. The heart has been engraved from the reverse, probably using a dental drill, and the engraved lines then in filled with colour. A black wash has then been applied so that the coloured areas stand out on a black ground when viewed from the front. The pendant shows a green and white volcano, a brown and green coconut palm, the sea with blue and white waves, the Southern Cross constellation in white and a small blue silhouette of a Vought F4U Corsair aircraft. At the top is 'BETTY' in yellow, and 'SOLOMON IS' in red.

This pendant was acquired on Bougainville by V7332 Sergeant John Elston 'Jack' Patterson and sent home to his wife, Betty (Elizabeth). Patterson was born at Glenhuntly, Victoria on 21 November 1919. He enlisted for service on 14 July 1940 and spent much of his service as an instructor, training troops in Victoria andQueensland before they departed for service in New Guinea and the south west Pacific area. In 1944 Patterson requested a transfer to active service and was posted from Townsville to Lae in October of that year, and then on to Bougainville with 9 Australian Infantry Battalion in November. He returned to Australia in October 1945 and was discharged in January 1946.