Italian fascist youth organisation (Gioventu Italiana Del'Littorio) badge : Lieutenant J R Millett, 2/11 Battalion

Italian brass badge with a wolf's head facing right and the letters GIL (Gioventu Italiana Del'Littorio) placed vertically down the back of the wolf's neck. The badge is attached to a fragment of black cloth from a uniform.

WX3383 Lieutenant John Robert 'Jack' Millett was born 19 February 1912, the son of Richard and Amelia Millett. He worked in a variety of jobs, including assembling cars for general Motors at Cottesloe, until the Great Depression caused the factory to close. He also worked in mining, and as a panel beater. In 1937 Millett joined the 11th Battalion (City of Perth Regiment), a militia unit. The following year he married Irene 'Rene' Cary. A son, Bob, was born before Millet enlisted in the Second AIF on 17 July 1940, when he was allocated to the 2/11th Battalion. He joined his unit in the Middle East and went into action for the first time at Bardia on 5 January 1941. As part of the Allied advance into Italian-occupied Libya, 2/11 Battalion subsequently fought at Tobruk on 21-22 January, and to secure Derna airfield on 25 January. It was advancing to the south of Benghazi when the Italians surrendered on 7 February. This badge was collected by Lieutenant Jack Millett when he was given the job to collect Italian prisoners at Bardia and Tobruk and to arrange their escort behind the lines. The buttons were sent home for his son, Bob, before he was sent to Greece with his unit, arriving near Athens around 13 April. They travelled to Larissa by cattle truck, and then on to defensive positions at Kalabaka. There they held the position while other troops evacuated the area. They then destroyed tunnels and bridges in the area. One was done too soon and the troops had to be withdrawn over pontoons. They then fell back to Bayliss. From there the battalion moved forward 15 miles to hold a defensive position while more troops evacuated. They then fell back and evacuated Greece by sea on 25 April 1941, landing on Crete the next day where 2/11 Battalion helped 2/1 Battalion to defend the Retimo airfield on the north of the island. German paratroopers landed at Crete on 20 May. Allied troops began evacuating Crete on 28 May, but not all could be evacuated. Retimo airfield was held for ten days before the 2/11th and 2/1st Battalions were forced to surrender on 30 May. Millett was taken prisoner. He was taken in a Junkers 52 aircraft to Athens, then by train and on foot through Greece to Salonika, where he spent three weeks. He was then taken through Austria to the camp at Oflag XC at Lubeck. From here Millett was eventually transferred to Oflag VIB at Warburg. At Warburg he was caught with another prisoner trying to dig a tunnel out of the camp from his hut, and was transferred to Oflag VIIB at Eichstatt in Bavaria. Here he began producing maps for escaping prisoners. He also took part in digging the tunnel that was used in the first mass escape of prisoners during the Second World War. On 3 June 1943 65 men escaped Oflag VIIB through the tunnel, including Millett, who was on the run for five days before he was recaptured. In response to this escape attempt he was transferred to Oflag IVC at Colditz Castle. This was the camp for the 'incorrigibles', those who had continually attempted to escape, and the 'prominente' (people with prominent connections who could be used as hostages). At Colditz Millett continued his escape committee career, becoming the map maker. Oflag IVC was liberated in April 1945 and Millett eventually made his way home. After the war Jack and Rene had another son named Barry and Jack worked in a number of metal trades. Jack Millett died on 1 December 1999, aged 87. The name of the Italian Facsit Youth Organisation was 'Gioventu Italiana Del'Littorio' (GIL) which means 'The Fascists Youth of the Lictors'. The black fabric attached to the badge could indicate it that came from a member of the fascist militia (who wore black shirts) serving in the Middle East, rather than regular army (who wore khaki).