Woven cellophane belt : Leading Seaman V P Sotheren, RAN

Handmade woven belt made from folded lengths of clear cellophane. With it is a belt clasp (now detached from the body of the belt) in the form of a butterfly cut from mother of pearl, with an inlaid decorative pattern of green and red dots made from plastic toothbrush handles.

Born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1918, Victor Peace Sotheren entered the Royal Australian Navy on 4 May 1936 and trained at Flinders Naval Depot (HMAS Cerberus) in Victoria. He was assigned the service number 21059. In December he joined the crew of HMAS Australia as an ordinary seaman. He was promoted able seaman at the end of 1937. In August 1938 he was posted to HMAS Sydney where he remained until the end of January 1939. This was followed by a posting to HMAS Hobart between June 1939 and April 1941.

Sotheren married his childhood sweetheart, Noreen Valma Sutton, while he was on leave in Sydney on 12 January 1941, at St Anne's Church, Ryde.

In October 1941 Sotheren was sent to Singapore to join the crew of the destroyer HMAS Vampire. He survived the sinking of the ship by the Japanese, off Ceylon on 9 April 1942. After his return to Australia Sotheren served in HMAS Koopa from the end of 1942, HMAS Kanimbla in 1946 and HMAS Barwon in 1947-48, as well as in various shore establishments. He was discharged from the RAN in February 1949.

Sotheren was noted for his skill in many handcrafts from a young age. He frequently entered his work in shipboard competitions. Many of the items that he made were presents for his fiancee/wife, Noreen, whom he affectionately nicknamed 'Mouse'. The couple did not find the opportunity to marry, due to Sotheren's seagoing postings, until early 1941.