Leather wallet with a woven cloth cover : Private R L Roberts, 3 Battalion, AMF

Place Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Papua, Owen Stanley Range, Kokoda Trail, Templeton's Crossing
Accession Number REL33902
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Heraldry
Physical description Cotton, Leather
Location Main Bld: World War 2 Gallery: Gallery 2: Papua
Maker Unknown
Place made Japan
Date made c 1939-1942
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Description

Brown leather wallet with coloured woven cloth cover, in shades of grey, brown, black, white, green, blue, orange and red, showing a geisha wearing a straw hat, the small drum traditionally played by geishas, and white Japanese characters translating as 'The House of Yoshida'. The wallet has three internal pockets and a change compartment secured by a leather tab. The six Japanese banknotes originally contained in the wallet are accessioned as part of the currency collection at RELC02640.

History / Summary

This wallet was picked up by Private Richard Leslie 'Jack' Roberts near Templeton's Crossing on the Kokoda Track on the morning of 21 October 1942. At the time he was serving with 3 Battalion, AMF (militia), which was attached in support of 16 Infantry Brigade, comprising 2/1, 2/2 and 2/3 Battalions. On 20 October members of the Brigade were sent to clear the Japanese, who were blocking the Kokoda Track as it ran beside the Eora Creek ravine immediately beyond Templeton's Crossing. The heavy fighting lasted all day and was carried out in poor visibility owing to the jungle growth, and on steep and slippery terrain. Fierce pockets of Japanese resistance were eventually overcome and the Japanese retreated overnight leaving abandoned equipment and papers for the Australians to find the following morning.

Jack Roberts was born in Wellington, NSW, in 1917 and served in 3 (militia) Battalion before the Second World War. He continued with 3 Battalion after the outbreak of war and was posted to New Guinea with the service number N43906. He joined the Second AIF, with the number NX163240, on 19 April 1943 and transferred to 2/3 Battalion. Roberts was discharged on 11 April 1946.