Cricket bat : Lieutenant G L Cavanaugh, Australian Army Ordnance Corps

Cricket bat made from English willow. The handle of the bat has been spiral-bound with black nylon tape. The face of the bat is stamped underneath each shoulder with an image of a man on horseback and the words 'TRADE MARK'. Below this is 'Army Special', 'WAR PRODUCT' and 'A. A AMENITIES SERVICE PLEASE RETURN THIS HANDLE TO AMENITIES OFFICER'. There are two signatures on the face of the bat but both are illegible. The bottom half of the blade has been wrapped in pigskin to protect the blade from splitting. Handwritten on the back of the bat is 'Gordon Cavanaugh 92 O'Donnell Street North Bondi'.

Associated with the service of N271407 Lieutenant Gordon Linden Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh was born in Alectown, NSW on 9 August 1895 and had served as a lieutenant in the 9th Infantry Brigade and 3 Australian Machine Gun Company during the First World War. He enlisted in the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (AAOC) on 29 May 1941 aged 45. Cavanaugh was promoted to lieutenant AAOC, Headquarters New South Wales on 13 January 1943. He served in United States Army Services (USAS) Headquarters Northern Territory Force, Darwin from 13 February 1945 to 18 April 1946 when he was posted to Officer Commanding Unit Stores Accounts Section, Headquarters (NSW Detachment). On 8 April 1947 Cavanaugh was transferred to No. 2 Military District Recruit Reception and General Details Depot for reallocation to Headquarters Eastern Command. On 1 July 1947 Cavanaugh transferred from the Citizen Military Forces to the Interim Army. His full time war service was terminated on 11 January 1949.