| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL30302 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Wood |
| Maker |
Beitsch, Hector |
| Place made | Netherlands East Indies: Java |
| Date made | c 1943-1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Carved chess set : Lance Corporal H Beitsch, 2/3 Reserve Motor Transport Company
Description
Complete carved chess set made of dark and light woods using a lathe and hand carving.
History / Summary
Chess set made by NX66750 Hector Beitsch during his internment as a prisoner of war by the Japanese. Beitsch, a mechanic from Bankstown, enlisted on 6 January 1941 after reducing his age by one year to appear 39. He joined 2/3 Reserve Motor Transport Company, serving as a Lance Corporal. After serving briefly in Singapore he was sent to Java in February 1942 and was posted as missing in April. He was confirmed as a prisoner of war in September 1943 and spent time in camps on Java, Burma and Thailand. He returned to Australia in November 1945 and was discharged on compassionate grounds on 20 March 1946.