Cigarette lighter : Sergeant J H Welch, A Company, 1 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Stainless steel cigarette lighter with flip top lid. An enamelled crest is attached to the front of the lighter and depicts a King's Crown above a scroll with the word 'COMMONWEALTH'. The front of the lid is engraved with 'KOREA 1952-1953' and the back with 'A COY 1 RAR SGT. J. H. WELCH'.

Lighter distributed by the Central Army Records Office to all ex members of 1 Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) as a means of distributing the cateen profits made in Korea through the British Navy, Army, Air Force Institute. This example was sent to 3961 Sergeant James Hamilton Welch in 1953 or 1954. Welch was born in September 1927 and enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 4 March 1946. With the rank of Corporal he was posted to Japan on 15 October 1946 with 66 Australian Infantry Battalion as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. He was promoted to Sergeant while serving with 66 Bn and returned to Australia on 5 September 1947. He then served during the Korean War with A Company, 1 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from 3 March 1952 to 20 January 1953. On 11 April of that year he was promoted to Lieutenant. He again served overseas in New Guinea with the Pacific Islands Regiment from 4 September 1955 to 10 January 1957. Welch continued to serve with the army and retired with the rank of Major.