Shirt : N J Fletcher, Official Curator, Australian War Memorial

Long-sleeved, grey, nylon shirt with polyester trim and a pair of patch breast pockets. Above the left hand breast pocket is stitched a grey maker's label. The back of the shirt is divided in half with the top half attached to the bottom via a single Velcro tab. This tab can be undone at any time to provide ventilation to the top half of the back.

Attached to the left upper sleeve is a rectangular machine embroidered full colour Australian flag shoulder patch with a DPDU background and 'AUSTRALIA' embroidered in green cotton thread. Attached to the upper right sleeve is a rectangular machine embroidered shoulder patch in bottle green with a yellow border. The Australian War Memorial logo and the words 'Australian War Memorial OFFICIAL CURATOR' are embroidered in yellow cotton thread.

The shirt fastens with seven plastic buttons down the front, and has two press studs on each cuff. A single press stud is located in the middle of each sleeve far attaching the cuffs when the sleeves have been rolled up. A navy blue washing instructions label is attached to the left inside seam of the shirt along with a spare plastic button. A navy blue maker's label is sewn inside the back of the collar.

Associated with the deployment of Official Curator Nick Fletcher, of the Australian War Memorial's Military Heraldry and Technology Section, to Afghanistan in October 2009. This commission was the first time an official curator from the Memorial had deployed to Afghanistan to identify and collect items for the National Collection.

Specifically Fletcher was deployed to Oruzgan Province to carry out two main tasks:

To interview Australian soldiers, witness their daily lives and discuss collecting some of their personal equipment for inclusion in the National Collection.

To photograph Australian Light Armoured Vehicles and Bushmaster Protected Infantry Vehicles with a view to obtaining one of each for the Memorial's National Collection when they are retired from service.

Fletcher began his three week deployment at Billabong Flats, the Australian base within the American Camp LSA (life support area) in Kuwait, before moving to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) and then to Camp Holland, the Dutch military base near the provincial capital Tarin Kowt. He then travelled with Australian troops by Bushmaster to a patrol base which was being built.

Included among the notable items Fletcher identified for the National Collection during his deployment, is the uniform of Colonel Lindsey Cameron Morton AM, Deputy Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force 633. HQ JTF 633 provides in theatre command and control of all Australian Defence Force elements deployed throughout the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO).