Christmas banner : Principle Chaplain L S Eacott, INTERFET

Rectangular plastic banner autographed with goodwill comments. The printed message on the banner reads 'HOLY/ CHRISTMAS/ HAPPY NEW YEAR/ 2000/ OTHERS TORTURE THEM TO DEATH/ YOU BROUGHT THEM HOPE AND A SMILE/ THAT WILL BE IN THEIR HEARTS FOREVER/ ed.Greg Rus/ St. Gregory the Great/ Doncaster'. Depicted on the poster is a Christmas star, two shepherds, a sheep and a baby, and an image of a French colonial soldier. One message has been written on the reverse of the banner.

This banner was sent to Principal Chaplain (Brigadier) Leonard (Len) Sidney Eacott from the parish of St. Gregory the Great, Doncaster, South Australia in 1999. The banner features messages of goodwill to Australians serving in the multinational peacekeeping operation, International Force East Timor (INTERFET) and was hung in INTERFET Headquarters.

The force was formed to address the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in East Timor. Eacott enlisted in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps of the Citizens Military Forces in November 1966, and from 1968 to 1972 fulfilled a National Service commitment. In early 1972, Eacott was commissioned as a General Service Officer (Royal Australian Infantry), serving with 25 Battalion, the Royal Queensland Regiment. Prior to commencing Anglican theological studies in 1980, he was employed as a soil conservationist by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries. In 1983 Eacott was ordained a priest of the Anglican Church of Australia, graduating from St Francis Theological College, Brisbane and the University of Queensland.

He soon transferred to the Royal Australian Artillery Chaplains Department as a senior staff officer. In 1993 he served with the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. From 1996 to 2000 Eacott served as senior chaplain to 1 Division at the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, Enoggera, and with INTERFET from September 1999 to February 2000. On 1 March 2002 Eacott was appointed Archdeacon to the Australian Army and took up the position of Principal Chaplain on 18 November 2002.