Lanyard : Lance Sergeant V A Berghofer, 17 Battalion AIF

Double plaited khaki cotton cord lanyard. The lanyard is being worn around the left shoulder of jacket REL/15810.001.

This lanyard was worn by 3458 Sergeant Victor Allen Berghofer. He enlisted in the AIF as a private as part of the 8th/17th Battalion on 1st September 1915. They embarked for overseas service on 20th December 1915, and arrived in Egypt as the 17th Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli.
After further training in Egypt, the 17th Battalion proceeded to France. However, Berghofer was admitted to hospital in Heliopolis for a few weeks in March 1916 with mumps, then carbolic burns. After recovery, he briefly worked at AA Pay Corps in London at No. 1 Commonwealth Depot in an administrative position, before rejoining the 17th battalion in France. In this period of service, he was transferred to the 54th battalion. The 54th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 16 February 1916 as part of the expansion of the AIF. Most of the recruits were from New South Wales: half were experienced Gallipoli veterans, and the other half were new recruits from Australia. The battalion became part of the 14th Brigade of the 5th Australian Division.
In November 1916, Berghofer became ill in France and was transferred to London General Hospital but later admitted to Tidworth Military Hospital in February 1917. Due to the expansion of the AIF, a new 6th division was established in London and Berghofer was transferred from the 54th battalion, to the new 61st, then 62nd battalion. The battalion was short-lived, as the second battle of Bullecourt severely depleted numbers, and the new 6th division was disbanded. Berghofer was promoted to sergeant on the 22nd August 1917, and in September was retransferred back to the 17th battalion after the collapse of the 62nd battalion. He was again able to serve in France from November 1917, until he was sick from March - May 1918.
Berghofer returned to Australia in July 1919, and was discharged in August 1919.

He changed his surname to Leslie soon after his return because of anti-German sentiment. The tunic was probably tailor made in Britain in late 1918 or early 1919 while he was awaiting repatriation to Australia.