| Place | Europe: France, Sains-du-Nord |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM09247 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Flag |
| Physical description | Cotton |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Germany |
| Date made | Unknown |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
German Red Cross flag : Sapper L G Field, 4 Field Company Engineers
Description
A worn and stained white cotton twill Red Cross flag. All sides of the flag are hemmed with two cotton tape ties sewn onto the hoist end.
History / Summary
This flag was collected by the donor, 15702 Sapper Leonard George Field from the window of the Ecole Communale, Sains-Du-Nord, France which had been used as a hospital by the Germans during the occupation of the town. British and other allied soldiers who had been wounded and taken prisoners were housed in this building. Prisoners were forbidden to communicate with civilians, who were also warned against having any communication with the prisoners, under direst penalties.
Field was born in St Leonards, Sydney in 1890 and was a stonemason on enlistment in the 4th Field Company Engineers Reinforcements on 24 March 1916. Field had previously served 10 years in the Naval Forces and six months with the Army Medical Corps at Victoria Barracks, Sydney.
Embarking for overseas service aboard HMAT Marathon on 31 October Field disembarked at Plymouth, England on 9 January 1917. He proceeded overseas to France on 18 March and was taken on strength by 4 Field Company on 9 April.
On 11 May 1918 Field suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg and was transferred to England on 13 June. Admitted to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton on 14 June he was transferred to 1 Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield on 1 July and to No. 3 Convalescent Depot, Hurdcott on 3 July.
Returning to France on 30 October, Field rejoined his unit on 2 November. After the Armistice, 4 Field Company remained in France conducting general engineering works - building latrines and sentry boxes, preparing sawmills for production and manufacturing platforms for dumps. On 22 February 1919 all stores and equipment were returned to ordnance base with the company relocating to Belgium on 12 March.
Field returned to England in April before embarking for Australia aboard HMAT Port Napier on 12 May, disembarking in Sydney on 5 July. Field was discharged from the AIF on 12 August 1919.