Union Jack : Lieutenant C S Cooling, 4 Light Trench Mortar Battery, AIF

Union Jack carried throughout the First World War by Lieutenant C S Cooling, 4 Light Trench Mortar Battery, AIF. The flag has a linen hoist with a length of hemp stitched in. The lower end of the hemp is spliced and knotted to form a loop, while the upper end has a metal hook and ring. The flag has numerous ink inscriptions recording Cooling's movements and activities during and after the war. In black ink are the words: 'THIS FLAG ACCOMPANIED ME PTE. C.S. COOLING IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES DURING THE WAR. BROADMEADOWS VICTORIA AUST. SEPT. 1914 FUNURAL [sic] OF COMRADE INDIAN OCEAN H.M.S. TRANSPORT BURIAL OF A.I.F. OFFICER MCH 1915. PORT SAID 1915. PARADES. ZEITUON. [sic] CH. PARADES HELIOPOLUS [sic] BURIAL. NEW OASIS EGYPT. 1915 ALEXANDRA. [sic] LEMNOS. 9th A.L.H. REGT. 1916 ISMALIAR [sic] DESERT CAMP13th INF. BN. 4 INF. BDE H.Q. EGYPT 9th A.L.H.R. GALLIPOLI. HILL60 RHODADENREM [sic] RIDGE. 3rd L.H.B. H.Q. AT EVACUATION. LEMNOS 1916 ALEXANDRA. [sic] ISMALIAR [sic] RACE COURCE [sic] HELIOPOLUS [sic] TEL-EL-KEBER [sic] 3. L.H.BDE FRANCE 6.6.1916. 13 INF. BN. BELGIUM [SIC] 4 A.L.T.M. BTY. SOMME PUSHES PRESENTATION OF AWARDS 4 INF. DBE. CHURCH PARADES. OFFICIALLY USED BY THE A.I.F. CHAPLAINS OF 4 INF. BDE. FRANCE AUGUST 1917 TILL DEMOBILISATION. THEN IN ENGLAND UNTIL RETURNED TO ME IN FRANCE LE HARVE [sic] FEB. 1919. LEFT LONDON NOV. 191 MELBOURNE JANY 1920 C.S. COOLING LIEUT. 4 A.L.T.M. BTY A.I.F. VICTORIA'. In blue ballpoint pen ink, apparently at a later date, has been added 'FRANCE 1st CONTINGENT 5 MAJOR BATTLES, SOMME ETC POSSIERS [sic] RIGHT TO THE FINISH. THEN TO HARVE FRANSE [sic] AFTER FINISH OF the WARS TO PARIS, ITALY, ROME, SWITZERLAND, IRELAND SCOTLAND LONDON WALES PROMOTED LIEUT 15-4-16 FRANCE CEYLON INDIA NEW DELHI LIEUT. C.S. COOLING 13th BTN AIF 1920'. A faded blue ink signature which may say 'STANLEY GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA' is also present.

Carl Sceale Cooling was a 25 year old bank accountant when he enlisted (as Earl Sceale Cooting - possibly typographic errors by the enlisting officer), embarking with the 4th reinforcements to 9 Australian Light Horse Regiment as Lance Corporal 834 in April 1915. He saw service at Gallipoli with 9 ALHR before being posted to 3 ALH Brigade Headquarters prior to the evacuation in December 1915. In April 1916 he was commissioned second lieutenant and transferred to 13 Australian Infantry Battalion. After arrival in France, he was promoted to lieutenant, and later transferred again to 4 Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery, with whom he served for the remainder of the war. His activities after the war are unknown.