Souvenir of Egypt embroidery : Private C Crocker, 5 Pioneer Battalion, AIF

Embroidered souvenir cloth. The rectangular cloth is white with decorative machine-chain stitched embroidery. Around a central floral design are representations of the flags of Australia and France above, and Russia and Great Britain below. To the proper left of this design is the dedication 'Souvenir of Egypt' embroidered vertically. Across the bottom is the dedication 'To My dear wife in Australia'.

3533 Private Charles Crocker was born in 1893, and was working as a butcher in South Melbourne when he enlisted in the AIF on 31 July 1915. After initial training he embarked with the 11th reinforcements for 8 Battalion aboard HMAT Nestor (A71) at Melbourne on 11 October 1915. While in Egypt undertaking further training he was transferred to 59 Battalion in February 1916, and the following month was again transferred to C Company, 5 Pioneer Battalion.

In June 1916 Crocker embarked with his unit for service in France on the Western Front. His battalion entered operations shortly afterwards, and on 22 July Crocker was wounded in action, spending a month in hospital at Boulougne before rejoining his unit. On 28 September 1916 Private Crocker was working at a timber mill at Armentieres which C Company had taken over operating. The mill received a direct hit from a large artillery shell, and Charles Crocker was one of ten men who were killed. He is buried at Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentieres, France.

Croker sent this embroidery home to his wife, Annie, while he was training in Egypt.