Enamelled badge 'FOR KING AND COUNTRY THE DARDANELLES' : Private F Meginess, 59th Battalion AIF

Circular enamelled silver badge featuring a map of the Dardanelles and the words 'FOR KING AND COUNTRY' and 'THE DARDANELLES'. The reverse has a brooch pin and is impressed with 'ST. SILVER' and 'RD. NO. 3498' and is engraved with the name 'MAY'.

Badge sent home by 3840 Lance Corporal F Meginess, 59th Battalion AIF to his sister May. Born at Richmond, Victoria in 1892, Frank Meginess was 23 years old and working as a painter when he enlisted in the AIF on 5 July 1915. At the time he was living at 34 Rose Street Armadale, Victoria and listed his father, Edward, as his next of kin. Private Meginess left Melbourne aboard HMAT Ceramic on 23 November 1915 with the 12th Reinforcements to the 7th Battalion. He was transferred to the 59th Battalion soon after arriving in Egypt in February 1916. After four months training in Egypt, during which Meginess was promoted to the rank of lance corporal, the 59th Battalion sailed for France and arrived in Marseilles on 30 June. Immediately heading north, the battalion took its place in the line near the village of Fleurbaix in France on 10 July. Nine days later Meginess took part in the disastrous battle of Fromelles in which the Australians suffered 5,533 casualties, including more than 2,000 killed. Meginess was listed as missing at the time and later declared killed in action. He has no known grave, but is commemorated at VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France.

This badge is typical of the style of patriotic material generated by the news of Australia's involvement in the Gallipoli Campaign. The phrase "For King and Country" typically illustrates the priorities of many enlisting men.