Malayan Parang and scabbard : Major Lloyd Hughes, 2/19 Battalion, AIF

Malayan parang with matching wood scabbard. The knife has a flat back, a convex single edge blade and a clip point. The boxwood handle has an engraved decorative pommel resembling a bird's face. The blade end of the handle has a black painted wood ferrule. The scabbard is made of carved teak and features a boxwood tip.

This Malayan parang with scabbard was acquired by Major Lloyd Hughes of the 2/19th battalion, AIF. He posted the parang to his wife, Edna May before the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941.

Hughes was born in Chilton, County of Durham, England on 17 December 1910, and married Edna in Bulli, NSW in 1936. He was a senior cadet for a year in the 34th Battalion (The Illawarra Regiment) militia and went on to serve a further eleven years with the unit, gaining the rank of captain.

Hughes was a store manager before he enlisted with the second AIF on 4 April 1940 from Paddington, NSW. He embarked from Australia aboard the HMT 'Queen Mary' on 2 February 1941 for Singapore as part of the 8th Australian Division. Upon disembarkation he moved north with his unit to Seremban, southern Malaya, for tropics training. After eight months Hughes was promoted to Major.

Following the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941 the 2/19 battalion had fallen back to Singapore Island by the end of January 1942. The Japanese launched their attack on Singapore on the night of 8 February and Hughes was killed in action the following day. He is buried in the Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.