Signed, framed Union Jack : Sapper R Holland, 2 Section, 2/6 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers

Small printed cotton Union jack (175 mm x 280 mm) pasted to a backing board and set within a simple photograph frame under a board mount. A brass suspension wire is affixed horizontally to the reverse. The top of the mount is titled 'No 2 Section, 2/6 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers'. Glued to sides of the mount are the remnants of two dark blue felt colour patches in a diamond shape with a grey border (for Royal Australian Engineers, 7 Division, pre 1943), which have suffered extensive insect damage. The centre of the flag is titled 'BATHURST 30/8/40'.

Members of the section have signed the flag. The legible names are (from top left working clockwise): 'NX35235 Bob Wallace; NX24344 Spr FC Moran; Spr W.C. Turner NX25300; NX24120 Spr DG Wells; WG Hodges NX17235; NX17566 Spr JRO Lewis; NX22823 Spr A King; Sgt R G Brooke NS14866; Spr J Bartlett NX21900; Gordon, Slade RAE Band; 25417 A E Field (Spr); NX15845 Spr Pass, LJ; Spr WL Williams NX21822; Spr R Holland NX20682; NX29476 Spr CM Walsh; NX18017 Spr T Buderus; Spr A O'Toole NX23749 (?); L/Cpl H Leslie NX22608; NX12268 R M Little ; NX16862 Sapper RJ Gartner; DW Jacobs 2/6 Fld Com RAE; L/Cpl B Watkin NX21517; NX30497 Spr Murison, Thomas W, Dingabledinga South Aus; BATHURST 30/8/40; Spr A Tuft NX20767; Spr EB Allan NX19910; Spr TS Wilson NX39152 [should be NX31952]; Spr RJ Landsdowne NX25458; Spr EJ Burke NX22829; NX28488 Spr CS Chadd; Spr RH Lalor NX16731; Spr J Lane NX23791; Spr RJ Fletcher NX21003 (?); NX27691 R Redpath; NX20650 Spr H Sale; L/Cpl R Maloney NX18585; L/C S Whiting NX14661; Spr F Nobles NX20761; NX23945 (?) ? Burns; Spr J Bradshaw NX16607; LH Monro NX21173; NX17759 Spr WA Phillips; NX16288 Spr TV Phillips; Drummer A McKissock NX17891 2/6 Fd Coy RAE; Spr C Spinks 2/6 Fd Coy RAE; NX20942 Spr Wright, HB; NX17996 Spr JA Hourigan; Cpl JB Paton NX13985; NX24328 Spr Bell, JJ; NX19016 Spr A Williamson, 2/6 Fld Coy; CA Rooke NX22605; Spr J Holding NX22244; NX22149 Spr JWG Gleaves; NX16641 Spr Pollett 2/6 Fd Coy RAE - Poet.

Written in ink on the mount at the base of the frame are the following names: 'Lieut RH Watts, Sgt RG Brooke, Cpl JB Paton, L/Cpl A Luft, L/Cpl B Watkins, L/Cpl EB Allan, Cpl R Redpath, L/C Leslie, L/C S Whiting, L/C C Walsh, Sprs B Wallace, F Moran, W Turner, D Wells, W Hodges, J Lewis, R Griffith, A King, J Bartlett, G Slade, C Lewis, W Leecount, W Williams, R Holland, A O'Toole, R Boderus, P Little, A Goulding, W Jacobs, A Gartner, J Lane, T Hainson, H Sale, F Nobles, T Feltcher, R Burns, L Munro, J Bradshow, W Phillips, T Phillips, A McKissock, C Shinks, T Wilson, J Lansdown [sic], E Burke, C Chadd, R Lalor, H Wright, T Hourigan, J Bell, A Williamson, C Rox [?], Holding, J Gleaves, Pollett.'

Written in ink on the sides of the mounts are the names: Sgt JH Corrie NX14687; Spr GI Gilbert NX24184; Spr T Lee NX18435; D Scadden NX18261.

Related to the service of NX20682 Sapper Richard Frederick Holland born 29 April 1909 at Urunga, NSW, who enlisted on 22 May 1940 at Paddington, NSW with 2/6 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. Holland trained with his unit at Bathurst, where this Union Jack was signed by members of his Section, on 30 August 1940.

The unit embarked for overseas service on 18 October, disembarking in Egypt. After training, they, as part of 7 Division, formed the initial group of the Syrian invasion force which crossed into Syria on 7-8 June 1941. As such, they accompanied 2/14 Battalion, cutting telephone lines, checking bridges for mines, and later repairing roads and bridges. After the victory in Syria, where they remained until early 1942, the Company returned to Australia for training, before service in New Guinea in 1943. Holland, however, was discharged on 8 March.