| Place | Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | AWM2018.577.1 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Cotton, Gold cord, Silk, Velvet |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | British Mandate of Palestine: Palestine |
| Date made | c 1941 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Palestinian lady's festival jacket: Warrant Officer Class 1 Lawrence Frederick Le Get, 2/23 Battalion
Description
Velvet and cotton jacket lined with silk, heavily embroidered in gold cord. Slightly torn under one arm and mended and the dye has run a little under the arms due to perspiration. Silk lining has discoloured.
History / Summary
This jacket was bought in Palestine by Lawrence Frederick Le Get for his wife Elsa. Lawrence Le Get and Elsa Gertrude Cummins were married in Victoria in 1932. Le Get enlisted on 24 July 1940 and embarked for overseas service on 8 April 1941, arriving in the Middle East on 4 May. Le Get remained overseas until 28 March 1942 when he embarked for Australia aboard the SS Melbourne Star. Arriving in Adelaide on 10 April Le Get remained in Australia for the rest of the war as an instructor in the Officer's Cadet Training Unit and was discharged on 13 September 1945 with the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1.
The jacket is an excellent example of a genuine piece of local style clothing. It is made from dark-coloured velvet imported into Palestine from mainland Europe. From the 1920's richly embroidered velvet jackets made in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas gradually replaced the older, much more colourful jackets the area had been famous for.