Blanket : Gunner D F Spark , 2/2 Australian Field Regiment

Handmade and hand-dyed coarse weave goat's wool blanket made in Crete. Predominate colours are red, orange, black and blue in a plain horizontal stripped design with a zigzag band detail along the top and bottom segment. The blanket is constructed from three vertical panels and sewn together using cotton and wool thread. Attached to the top and bottom edge is a tassel border in brown, black, pink and orange. There is a detached piece of tassel.

NX47054 David Frey Spark was born in Hurlstone Park, NSW in April 1916. At the age of 24 he enlisted in the Second AIF on 24 July 1940, and was assigned as a Gunner to 2/2 Field Regiment. He served in North Africa and Greece.

This handmade blanket was given to Spark while he was on the island of Crete, following the Allied evacuation of Greece in early 1941. After the successful German air invasion of Crete and the loss of Maleme airfield, General Wavell ordered the island to be abandoned by Allied forces on 27 May 1941, via naval evacuations. Spark was taken prisoner by the Germans in early June 1941 but escaped after 28 days of confinement.

A local Cretan villager gave the blanket to Spark after he had escaped a German POW camp. In late August 1941 Spark's diary makes mention of a Cretan villager who produced blankets on a loom; '...we were also shown some rugs and other cloths which were made by Sophia on a contraption which is assembled in the house- some beautiful work- bright rugs of many colour, also bags which they carry on their backs and lighter material which may be used for shirts etc. Efti promised us a rug each, but I don't think we shall ever get them'.

Spark evaded recapture by the Germans with the assistance and traditional hospitality of the local Cretans who fed and gave him directions. He remained on Crete until late November 1941 where he escaped the island on board the requisitioned trawler HMS Hedgehog and made his way to Palestine via Alexandria.

Spark later transferred to 2/4 Field Regiment and was commissioned a Lieutenant. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1945 for 'brave and distinguished services in action in the South West Pacific Area' during the evacuation by sea from the Porton plantation, Bougainville. Spark was discharged on 5 September 1945 and died in 2000.