Embroidered table cloth : 106 General Hospital, Australian Army Medical Services

Square linen tablecloth with a broad double border formed by two intersecting rows of drawn threadwork. Each panel thus formed features the embroidered signature of a member of the AIF, with an emphasis on Australian Army Nursing Staff. The central panel bears the colour patch of 106 General Hospital, accompanied by the following names: SX2843 J M Dwyer, Col, 106 AGH; VFX124428 Margaret Mort, AAMC; Eileen Commack NX116547, AAMC. The remaining panels feature the following names or titles: 113 (C) M H with colour patch; VFX95115 Muriel Ross, 106 AGH; 2/3 Battalion 6 Aust Div (colour patch) Ian Hutchinson, Lt Col, Comd 2/3 Aust Inf Bn; Wilfred L Collins ACG Pres, First Aust Army; Elizabeth R Larke Commandant ARCS; Joyce Snelling, Asst Comdr AAMWS; F Dowdle 103 AGH Matron; E M Hind, NF443235 AWAS; N R Hind NX4132 2/1st A; R A Money 6 AGH CO; May Douglas Controller AAMWS; Georgina Mathews, Commandant St George's Hospital Jerusalem; A Gray Wilson AAMC 106 AGH; (colour patch for 2/6 AGH); R Gurney S/Sgt NX28091 HQ NT Force; Thel Beattie QX6395 6 AGH; Elma D Payne 113 (C) Mil Hosp; Margaret Murray QFX24132 2/7 AGH; R Parrott (Golly); ? Bowerman, Lieut 2/12 Bn AIF; Lorna Stevens 24.9.46 113 CMH; Marjorie Brown 6 AGH Assistant Commandant; Beryl Mahoney QX24133; Mavis Bentley Lt 113 (C) AH; NX34767 Lieut H A Hind 2/9 Aust Inf Bn AIF; (colour patch) 2/9 Bn 7 Aust Div; 13008885 H G Young PC; SX12701 K J Davey 2/10 Aust Inf Bn; Nell Wilson 6 AGH; NX132967 R L Llewellyn Smith Dental (?) Officer 113 (C) AH; James H Lord NX22925 2/2 Aust MG Bn; Yvonne Levy 1 AGH; Pat Hay AAMC; J S Abbott (Matron) 6 AGH; VFX268 Cynthia Duigan; Rae Fallick 2/3 ACCS; A Irving Davidson Chaplain-General Pres; 98758 ACW Hind J WAAAF; NX22438 B R Carr-Boyd 2/17 Bn AIF; NX76472 Mollie Johns; (colour patch) 2/17 Bn 9 Aust DIv; VFX95889 Rosemary Attiwell 106 AGH; NFX145455 Marge Rankin AAMWS WO1; VX12963 B R Payne S/Sgt AACS; Dorothy K Powell YWCA Rep 113 (C) MH; NX18143 Allan L Young WO II AAPC; NFX76412 Margaret Stephen 12 AGH Asst Commandant VAD; L Irwin Commandant VAD OS; A L Lawrence NX1913 2/2 Bn; NX145220 G R Beatty Chaplain AACD; VF398005 Moya Davies AAMWS ex AWAS LHQ; NX143350 K Bolton; J J Edwards Lieut AACS.

Souvenir linen tablecloth featuring a collection of signatures, all mainly associated with 106 Australian General Hospital, collected by Mrs E J Tolman who also subsequently embroidered the signatures. It is unclear who Mrs Tolman is, as this is her married name. Established at Bonegilla, Victoria, the 400-bed 106 Australian General Hospital (106 AGH) initially dealt with all manner of medical emergencies and cases until it became established as a specialist tuberculosis centre. Notable names amongst the signatures are: NFX138446 Major Joyce Snelling, Assistant Controller of the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAWMS), NSW; NX270 Matron Freda Mary Eliza Dowdle (later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, retiring as the Matron of Bankstown Hospital); Lieutenant-Colonel May Douglas, Controller, AAWMS; SFX14794 Colonel Rose Annie Parrott, Superintendent Australian Red Cross, New Guinea, 1945, overseeing return of prisoners; SFX14804 Captain E Marjorie Brown, Camp Commandant of 2/6 AGH; Yvonne Levy, Volunteer Aid Detachment (VAD) Victorian Camp Commandant; QFX6397 Lieutenant Colonel Joan Stevenson Abbott, RRC, Principal Matron, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS), HQ, Queensland LoC; NFX70247 Captain Rae Fallick, 2/3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station; V503399 Presbyterian Chaplain General Arthur Irving Davidson; NX76485 Captain Lilian Boyd Irwin, Commandant, Voluntary Aid Detachment, Australian Red Cross and NX145220 Chaplain Gordon Rupert Beatty, Church of England.