Female Relatives Badge : Mrs Annie Munroe

Blue enamelled Female Relative's Badge with one bar, indicating one relative on active service. An oval surrounds the voided letters 'AIF' and contains the words 'ISSUED BY DEPT OF DEFENCE TO WOMEN OF AUSTRALIA'. A scroll beneath this contains the words 'FOR DUTY DONE'. The badge is surmounted with a King's Crown and has a pin fastening on the back. The reverse is stamped with the maker's details and the numbers 19525 and 48529.

This badge is associated with Mrs Annie Monroe, of Campsie, NSW, the mother of Private (Pte) 7133 John Joseph Monroe, of Redfern, NSW. Pte Monroe enlisted on 9 June 1915 and embarked for service in the Middle East on 9 August 1915. A butcher by trade, he was assigned to 8 Reinforcements, 13 Australian Army Service Corps Butchery. He worked as both a butcher and baker on the Greek Islands of Imbros and Mudros in late 1915 and early 1916. The troops in this area were providing support for the nearby Gallipoli campaign. In February he joined the 1 Light Horse Training Regiment and in March of that year was transferred to the 12 Light Horse Regiment. He served with them until contracting tuberculosis in June 1916, for which he was hospitalised. He continued to serve with the 12 Light Horse Regiment until contracting malaria in July 1919. He embarked for repatriation to Australia aboard HMAT Dongola on 24 July 1919.