Hand knitted scarf : Sapper J L Aitken, 6 Field Company Engineers, AIF

Hand knitted khaki woollen scarf with two purple stripes at each end. The scarf is knitted in a rib stitch pattern and has 29 purple tassels at one end, and 32 at the other. A cotton name tag sewn into the scarf reads 'J.L. Aitken'.

This scarf was knitted for John Leighton Aitken during the First World War by one of his sisters. The purple stripes at each end of the scarf reflect the purple colour patch of 6 Field Company Engineers, with whom he served. Aitken was born on 4 January 1985 in Sydney and was working as a surveyor's assistant before enlisting on 23 October 1916 as a sapper with the service number 16949. On 10 February 1917 he departed Sydney for England on board SS Osterley. After training in England, he served on the Western Front with 6 Field Company Engineers and was promoted to lance corporal. After the war, Aitken attended a survey school in England, completing his final exams on the voyage back to Australia. In Sydney, he established the surveying partnership of Gilliam and Aitken. On 19 March 1942 he enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps. He received the service number N390822 and served as a sapper with 28 Battalion VDC Engineers. In March 1943 Aitken enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force with the service number 127363 and completed officer training at Point Cook, Victoria. He went on to serve in the South West Pacific, where he was involved in airfield construction. He was discharged from 5 Airfield Construction Squadron on 21 March 1946 with the rank of flying officer.