Woven cellophane belt: Driver Mark Hill Store, 2/3 Reserve Motor Transport Company, 8th Division

Woven belt made from folded sections of clear cellophane originally used to wrap packets of cigarettes. Cut out paper numerals and letters have been inserted into individual sections of the cellophane to read '2/3 RES MT COY AIF MALAYA'. Each end of the belt has an attached triangular dark blue and white unit colour patch for the Australian Army Service Corps to which the 2/3 Reserve Motor Company belonged. The original grey borders have been cut away.

Born in England in 1900 Mark Hill Store was employed as a lorry driver in Townsville, Queensland when he enlisted in the AIF on 10 March 1941. Assigned the service number QX11587 he was posted as a driver to the 2/3rd Reserve Motor Transport Company, part of the 8th Australian Division. The unit sailed for Singapore from Sydney in April.

In November 1941 the company was detached to serve with the 11th Indian Division, and as such was the first Australian unit to encounter the Japanese as they landed in the north of Malaya. The company returned to the 8th Division in December as it fought its way down the Malay peninsular to Singapore. On 8 February 1942 it was safely transported by sea to Batavia, Java where it was intended that the men would join a future 1st Australian Corps composed of men from the 7th and 9th Divisions returning from service in the middle East. This did not eventuate and instead they joined Blackforce and were subsequently captured by the Japanese and housed at Bicycle Camp.

Blackforce was sent to Singapore in October 1942 and its members dispersed to various prisoner of war work parties and camps. Short was sent to work on the Thai-Burma railway at its Burmese end, but after construction had been completed, moved to Thailand. He survived the war and was discharged on 6 March 1946.

It is thought that Short completed this belt in Malaya in 1941 and sent it to his wife before he was captured.