SS Persic souvenir silk tally band : Private Leslie Russell, 37 Battalion, AIF

Long narrow white silk streamer or tally band with the name 'S.S.PERSIC' embroidered in metallic thread, bordered by an embroidered silk Union Jack on one side, and an embroidered silk red Australian ensign on the other.

This silk souvenir streamer of the transport 'Persic' was acquired by 391 Private Leslie Russell, 37 Battalion, AIF, who enlisted on 14 February 1916. He embarked for overseas service aboard the transport 'Persic' on 3 June 1916 from Melbourne and must have acquired this silk tally band druing the voyage to England.

He was killed in action on 27 February 1917 when 37 Battalion was operating in the region of Armentieres in the aftermath of the general German retirement east on 22/23 February. Witness accounts drawn from the Red Cross 'Wounded and Missing' enquiries note that he took part in the large trench raid at Houplines on the evening of 27 February and was hit by machine gun fire in no-man's land as the raiders were approaching the German lines. One witness, 303 Private James Thomas Keefe, recalled 'I saw him hit by a machine gun ball ... he was hit on the chest and called out 'I'm hit and done for.' We were in a raid at the time and I could not stop to help him.' Other accounts exist in the Red Cross records.

Leslie Russell was one of three brothers who served in the First World War; 17791 Sapper George Alexander Russell served with 11 Field Company Engineers and Gordon Russell served with 7 Battalion.