| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM07953 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Cotton sateen, Glass, Horse hair, Metal, Wool fleece |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Western Front 1917: Medical |
| Date made | 1917-1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Kangaroo soft toy mascot : Red Cross hut, Rouelles
Description
A soft toy kangaroo of naive design with glass eyes. The body fabric appears to be wool (maybe goat) woven or tufted onto a cotton backing, while the stuffing appears to be horse hair or kapok. The inners of the figure's ears, arms, pouch and legs are lined with sateen cotton and the overall shape is maintained by a metal wire armature extending to and including the tail. The nose is realised by a sewn "H" shape. The toy is made from eight separate pieces; the body, pair of ears, pair of arms, pair of legs and the tail.
History / Summary
This toy kangaroo was used as a mascot in the Australian Red Cross Hut at the 1st Australian Convalescent Camp at Rouelles, near Le Havre on the Normandy coast during 1917 and 1918. Kangaroos (both real and toy versions) were a particularly popular choice of mascot amongst Australians serving far from home.