Flask : Private A Washington, 14 Battalion, AIF

Glass hip flask with leather cover over upper half and removable pewter base. The base is engraved with a geometric design along the top as well as a floral pattern. The design is on the front and back of the pewter. The front of the pewter is engraved 'AW' and the back is engraved with 'A. Washington from the Boys of the 'Rainbow' 1916'. The flask has a screw top pewter cap lined with cork.

Flask associated with the service of Private Alfred Washington. He was the son of Robert and Mary Anne Washington and was born in Mansfield, Victoria. Washington was 30 years old when he enlisted in the AIF on 14 October 1916. He trained at Royal Park, Melbourne and while there went absent without leave for two days in November and was fined 5 shillings. He embarked from Melbourne with the 23 reinforcements of 14 Battalion on board HMAT Medic on 16 December 1916. This flask is most likely a farewell present. He disembarked at Plymouth, England on 18 February 1917 and was sent to Manderville camp at Sutton Veny, England for a month, before moving to Codford Camp, Wiltshire. On 22 May he left Codford Camp for Europe and joined 14 Battalion at Havre, Belgium. He was only with his unit for two months before he was killed by a shell while in the lines at Messines on 10 August 1917. He was buried just behind the front line and a marker was put over his grave. Due to shell fire and fighting in the area the marker was destroyed and his grave was lost. Washington is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.