Anzac Day marching banner : 4 Divisional Field Ambulance

Anzac Day marching banner carried by members of 4 Divisional Field Ambulance Association in Anzac Day marches. The banner is of red silk with eleven faded red grosgrain ribbon tabs along the top edge to support a pole. A similar tab is located at the top and bottom of each side. The front of the banner has a painted yellow and pink ribbon scroll at the top containing the words: 'FIELD 4TH - 12TH - 13TH AMBULANCES' in gold paint with red outlines. Below this is a disk of brown silk which represents the colour patch of 4 Division Army Medical Corps units. This is above a gold painted Rising Sun badge over another painted ribbon, similar to that at the top, containing the words: '4TH DIVISION A.M.C. UNITS A.I.F.' A smaller green and gold painted ribbon runs between the large ones on each side of the banner, that on the right containing, in black, the words: 'EGYPT GALLIPOLI POZIERES BULLECOURT MESSINES POLYGON WOOD', and that on the left: 'PASSCHENDAELE YPRES HAMEL VILLERS-BRETONNEUX AMIENS HINDENBURG LINE'. The reverse of the banner has, on the right hand side, a white painted flaming torch over a green wreath. Extending from the upper part of the torch is a painted ribbon scroll with the words 'WE REMEMBER THEM' in gold outlined in red. Below the ribbon, and occupying the centre of the banner, is a hand tinted photograph of stretcher bearers working in a trench. The only stretcher bearer that has been identified is 3219 Corporal George Lloyd MM, in the right of the photograph carrying the front of the stretcher. The photo, which is 435 x 485 mm, is covered with a Mylar-like plastic, and edged with gold metal thread. Along the bottom edge of the banner on the front face is a yellow chenille fringe, while on the reverse side is a fringe of blue silk.

'This banner was presented to the 4 Divisional Field Ambulance Association soon after the war by some of the former officers who had served in its units (4, 12 and 13 Field Ambulances). It was carried every year in Melbourne Anzac Day marches until 1948, when its deteriorating condition caused it to be offered by the Association to the Australian War Memorial. It was donated via Mr Harold Arthur Wiseman, formerly 13369 Private, of 12 Field Ambulance, an incapacitated veteran who was living at the Anzac Hostel in Brighton, Victoria. The hand coloured photograph featured on the reverse of the banner is said to show 'three Victorian members of the 12th Field Ambulance carrying a stretcher case. One of the three, Private Norm Sadlier (sic), was killed in action a few days later.' The man referred to is in fact 3373 Private Norman Henry Sadler, MM, of 12 Field Ambulance, a 21 year old who was killed at Contalmaison, near Pozieres, on 30 August 1916.