Souvenir sachet sent to Janet and Theodora Ekers by Private F D Botten, 4 Field Ambulance, AIF

Pale pink cotton sateen padded sachet in the shape of a handbag, edged with pale pink twisted cotton cord. The same cord forms a handle for the bag and a loop at the centre top edge which once closed over a fabric covered button (no longer present). One side of the bag bears a rectangle of cream silk chiffon embroidered in red, yellow, white, blue and purple with the British coat of arms, a rose, shamrocks, a thistle, and a wreath of holly. Beneath are the words 'SOUVENIR FROM FRANCE'. The panel is edged with a broad border of cotton lace and the same pale pink twisted cotton cord. A pale pink silk ribbon bow is attached to each side of the front of the bag. The bag lining is of cream cotton sateen. A pasteboard card inside the bag is printed on one side with coloured representations of the Allied flags, sprigs of holly and 'Greetings from France'. The back of the card bears pencilled lettering, 'To Dora & Janet from Uncle Frank Xmas 1917'.

This sachet handbag was sent home as a Christmas present in 1917 by 7958 Private Frank Days Botten, of 4 Field Ambulance, AIF, to his young nieces, Theodora Ekers and her nineteen month old little sister, Janet Hillman Ekers, to whom the parcel was addressed.

Born at Prospect, South Australia, Frank was working as a bank clerk when he enlisted in the AIF at the age of 24, on 10 August 1915. Selected as a special reinforcement for the Medical Corps, he embarked for overseas service from Melbourne two months later, on HMAT A71 Nestor, after completing basic medical training at Seymour, Victoria.

Arriving in Egypt Botten underwent further training before being assigned as a nursing orderly to 1 Australian General Hospital in March 1916. On 18 October he transferred to service on the Western Front and was posted to 4 Field Ambulance.

In May 1917 he received a superficial gunshot wound to the head near Albert, but was able to rejoin his unit six days later. While acting as a temporary corporal (confirmed in 1919) in the final months of the war, Botten was awarded the Military Medal for 'gallantry and devotion to duty' at Vaire-sur-Corbie on 6 August 1918, and at Cerisy on 8 August, when 'his utter disregard for danger and his untiring devotion to duty were the means of saving many lives.'.

Frank Botten returned to Australia in 1919. His brother, Lieutenant Robert Hillman Botten, had been killed in action near Grevillers on 2 March 1917 while serving with 27 Battalion, leaving a widow, Ethel. Frank never married. He shared a house with his widowed sister in law for the rest of his life.

• Packaging for souvenir sachet sent to Janet and Theodora Ekers by Private F D Botten, 4 Field Ambulance, AIF