Next of Kin Plaque: Private Selwyn Kemp Skipworth, 34 Battalion AIF

Bronze next of kin plaque, showing on the obverse, Britannia holding a laurel wreath, the British lion, dolphins, a spray of oak leaves and the words 'HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR' around the edge. Beneath the main figures, the British lion defeats the German eagle. The initials 'ECP', for the designer Edward Carter Preston appear above the lion's right forepaw. A raised rectangle above the lion's head bears the name 'SELWYN KEMP SKIPWORTH'. A checker's mark, '17', is impressed between the lion's rear left paw and tail.

Born in Dromana, Victoria, farmer Selwyn Kemp Skipworth was living in Western Australia when he enlisted in the AIF on 29 March 1915. After initial training he was posted a private, service number 1904, to the 2nd Reinforcements for 44th Battalion. The unit sailed for overseas service from Fremantle aboard HMAT A28 Miltiades on 7 August, and arrived in England on 25 September.

After further training with the 11th Training Battalion Skipworth was transferred to 34th Battalion and assigned an amended service number,1904A, as his original number was already allocated to a soldier in his new battalion. Skipworth joined his battalion in France on 21 November, where he was posted to C Company.

Between 7 and 21 July Skipworth attended a Lewis Gun school before rejoining his unit. Two days later, on 23 July, he was severely wounded at Messines, sustaining wounds to his back, arm, leg and foot. He was evacuated to 11 Field Ambulance and then to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, where he died the following day, aged 26. He is buried in the Trois Arbres Cemetery at Steenwerke, France.

This commemorative plaque was sent to his mother, Mrs Sarah Parsons Selwood, on 1 September 1922.