General Service Badge : Private A V Attenborough, Australian Army

General Service badge showing a Rising Sun, Anchor, Wings and King's Crown, with the wording 'Service / Australia'. The reverse is cast with the manufacturer's name, year of manufacture (1948) and "ISSUED BY C'WLTH GOVT", and is impressed with the serial number A26074.

The badge was issued to male and female members on discharge who were ineligible for the Returned from Active Service badge because they had not served outside Australia, but who had served within Australia for a qualifying period or who had been discharged through medical grounds. This example was issued to VX116565 Private Arthur Vernon Attenborough, Australian Army, a tram conductor of North Sydney, born 15 August 1923. His discharge papers indicate that he enlisted with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) on 2 June 1942 and served until 23 November 1942 when he reenlisted with the AIF and served with 102 Australian Anti Aircraft Regiment until his discharge on 22 August 1946. His General Service badge (REL34021) and the two service medals (REL34018.001 and .002) indicate that he did not serve overseas during the Second World War. Attenborough enlisted for service in Korea on 14 August 1950 and once in Japan, enlisted with K Force in Japan on 10 December 1951. He served with 3RAR under his K Force service number (2/400042) until 9 December 1951, seeing action at the Battle of Kapyong. He continued service in the regular Army under service number 2/2783 until 14 July 1954. Corporal Attenborough was registered as a driver to operate Class 1 & 2 vehicles (licence dated 28/10/50) and as a cinematographer to operate 16 mm Sound Projectors (licence dated 16/7/53).