Crucifix : Sapper F Brydges, 2/6 Field Company, RAE

Small ivory crucifix attached to a paper label by a short length of green cotton thread. Written in black ink on the label obverse is, "Carved by Frank Brydes [sic] when a POW in 1943 on the Burma-Siam railway from a piece of elephant tusk. Only tool used was a pocket knife with a broken blade, sharpened as a chisel". Written on the reverse of the label in pencil is, "Frank Brydges not Frank Brydes".

This small ivory crucifix was carved in 1943 by Sapper Frank Brydges of 2/6 Field Company, RAE while a Prisoner of the Japanese on the Burma-Thailand Railway. Sapper Brydges, using only a broken pocket knife, fashioned the crucifix from a piece of ivory taken from an elephant killed by the Japanese - purportedly to provide the commandant of the Prisoner of War camp with an ivory cigarette box. Driver Brydges gave the crucifix to Driver H D Harris in exchange for his tobacco rations. Driver Harris retained the crucifix until 1978 when he gave it to the Sisters of Mercy in Deniliquin, NSW. Frank Brydges survived the war and was discharged in May 1946.