Chinese rubber goggles : Sergeant J H Welch, A Company, 1 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Chinese issue goggles with the frame made from a single section of flexible green rubber. The eye pieces are fitted with clear glass and the goggles are secured by a metal hook at the end of the straps. The fit can be adjusted by a metal buckle slide on the strap.

Collected by 3961 Sergeant James Hamilton Welch, commander of 1 Platoon, A Company, 1 RAR during a patrol on the night of 10/11 November 1952. The goggles were thought to protect the Chinese and North Korean forces from the tear gas employed by the United States Infantry during attacks on tunnels and bunkers. Sgt Welch was born in September 1927 and enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 4 March 1946. With the rank of Corporal he was posted to Japan on 15 October 1946 with 66 Australian Infantry Battalion as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. He was promoted to Sergeant while serving with 66 Bn and returned to Australia on 5 September 1947. He then served during the Korean War with A Company, 1 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from 3 March 1952 to 20 January 1953. On 11 April of that year he was promoted to Lieutenant. He again served overseas in New Guinea with the Pacific Islands Regiment from 4 September 1955 to 10 January 1957. Welch continued to serve with the army and retired with the rank of Major.