| Place | Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL43214 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Aluminium, Paper |
| Maker |
Fletcher, Bruce Finlay |
| Place made | British Mandate of Palestine: Palestine |
| Date made | 1941 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Match box holder : Private B F Fletcher, Australian Army Ordnance Corps
Description
Match box cover made from a single piece of bent aluminium. The piece is folded into three parts - front, back and spine - to a size identical to a box of matches. A matchbox has been glued inside the cover. One side is engraved with the profile of an Australian soldier in a slouch hat, with '1941' engraved above and 'PALESTINE' engraved below. The other side of the cover is impressed with the name 'BRUCE'.
History / Summary
Match box cover made by Private Bruce Fletcher, Australian Army Ordnance Corps.
Bruce Finlay Fletcher was born at Armidale, New South Wales in 1919. He was serving in the militia with 30 Battalion and working as a storeman and packer in Sydney when he enlisted in the AIF on 4 June 1940. After initial training with the Australian Army Ordnance Corps he was assigned to 1 Anti-Aircraft Regiment with the service number NX20308. He embarked with his unit for the Middle East at Sydney on 28 June 1941, serving there until February 1942. Fletcher arrived back in Australia in March 1942, and was sent to New Guinea the following month, posted to 2/3 Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Battery Workshop Section. In October 1942 he was transferred to the New Guinea Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Workshop Section.
Fletcher was granted leave in Australia from November 1942 to January 1943. This coincided with the formation of the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as a separate Corps in December 1942, of which Fletcher was now a member. Upon his return from leave in January 1943 he was detached for duty with 1 Australian Anti-Aircraft Regiment Workshop Section, serving in New South Wales. He was then sent to Queensland in March 1943, and from there to New Guinea, arriving at Milne Bay in August 1943 to rejoin his unit.
On 10 February 1944 Fletcher was promoted to corporal. The following month he embarked at Finschhafen for Brisbane, where he was admitted to the 113 Australian General Hospital with malaria. Difficulties with his health throughout the rest of the year saw Fletcher discharged medically unfit for service in February 1945.