Prisoner of war crafted mat : Driver C Fernie, 1 Company, Australian Army Service Corps, Gull Force

Hand crafted embroidered mat. Centre piece is a dark blue and white 2nd AIF triangular colour patch of the corps troops, Goulburn Training Depot to which the donor belonged. Surrounding this is a shield behind which are the Australian National flag and the Union Jack. Above is the motto 'PAR / A.A.S.C / ONERI', and below the word 'AMBON'. On each side of the centre are a steering wheel below which are on the left a 2/21 Battalion patch and on the right a patch for HQ 24 Australian Infantry Brigade. Made in colours of red, dark blue, black, yellow, white, light blue and grey.

Made by NX7345 Driver Cyril ('Sam') Fernie, 1 Company, Australian Army Service Corps (AASC), who, as a member of Gull Force was a prisoner of war on Ambon. Born 20 April 1906 at Paddington, NSW, Fernie enlisted on 8 May 1941 and died in captivity on 7 May 1945. This item was then kept and treasured by NX1677 Driver Verdun Clive 'Spanky' Ball, also a POW of 1 Company, AASC. Ball commented 'it was worked with a sharpened piece of wire with a loop on one end, over many months, as material became available (but) unfortunately he was unable to complete the article'.