1939-45 Star : Private J Etches, 13 Small Ships Company

1939-45 Star impressed on reverse with recipients details.

Associated with the service of NX134809 Private Jack Etches. Etches was born in Sydney, NSW on 23 October 1919 and was a pastry cook assistant on enlistment in the Citizens Military Force on 7 February 1940. Etches was allocated the service number N54613 and was a private. He qualified as a driver (grades I and II) and transferred to Headquarters, Australian Army Service Corps (AASC) 2 Australian Division on 19 December 1941.

On 14 July 1942 Etches entrained from Sydney for the Western Australia Lines of Communication Area. There he was graded as a cook (class II) on 9 October and transferred to the AIF on 7 December, being allocated the new service number NX134809. In January 1943 Etches completed a cooking and catering course and rejoined the AASC.

Etches transferred to the 13th Australian Small Ships Company on 15 July 1944. He was detached to the barge AV1361 Poolta on 1 November and sailed with that ship to New Guinea where he disembarked at Lae on 25 December. The Poolta was a stores carrier and transported much needed stores around the Pacific Islands during the Second World War.

Etches served with 13 Small Ships until the end of the war before transferring to the 2/6th Mobile Laundry on 26 December 1945. He embarked from Torokina, Bougainville, aboard SS Nordnes on 16 January 1946, disembarking in Sydney on 22 January. Etches was discharged from the AIF on 31 January.

• Pacific Star : Private J Etches, 13 Small Ships Company
• British War Medal 1939-45 : Private J Etches, 13 Small Ships Company
• Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 : Private J Etches, 13 Small Ships Company