New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company colour patch : Lance Sergeant J H Cory, 2/4 Australian Commando Squadron AIF

Hand made colour patch thought to be that of the New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company, AIF. The patch has been modified from an oval shaped 8th Divisional Signals patch to form a purple double diamond on a grey background with a central blue over white rectangle indicating signal units.

Worn by John Henry Cory, who was born in Warwick, Queensland on the 28 December 1920. He worked as a clerk up until his enlistment with the Commonwealth Military Forces (CMF) with the service number N217529 on the 13 May 1941 aged 20 and 10 months. On the 8 November 1941 he was raised for service with the AIF with the service number NX51917 and was posted to 2 Division Signals. On 23 December 1941 he transferred to No 4 Australian Independent Company serving with 2/9 Commando Regiment and 2/4 Australian Commando Squadron. While with the Commandos he served overseas in Timor, New Guinea, and Tarakan and rose to the rank of lance sergeant. He was Mentioned in Despatches on the 13 April 1945 and was demobilised on the 15 February 1946. The possibility exists that, since the Cory served as a signaller with 2/4 Australian Commando Squadron, the patch was intended to represent the signals section of that unit, although in this case, the diamond should have been dark blue rather than purple. Regular New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company patches featured a 'W' shaped, rather than rectangular, central patch.