FLAG, 44th battalion, AIF

Large, rectangular flag (also referred to as Colour), silk/cotton mixture, or potentially rayon, cream background with maroon cross overlaid - Red Cross of St George. Cross is in grosgrain fabric. Flag edged with gold and black metallic fringing on top, bottom and right-hand sides, and trim of maroon grosgrain fabric on left-hand side. Cord of twisted cotton gold and maroon twine is looped through top left corner. Cord hangs down left hand side of flag, and base of cord splits into two plaited tassels.
At centre of flag’s maroon cross is large embroidered 44th Battalion insignia, surrounded by embroidered wreath. Insignia is hand embroidered on navy blue silk grosgrain fabric. Consists of a circular sun, 315mm length x 330mm width, with eight pointed rays embroidered in three shades of yellow/gold perle thread in different thicknesses, 3 thicker and 5 finer, in straight satin stitch. In centre of the sun, worked on beige cotton sateen fabric, is a black swan embroidered in rows of stem stitch in a black perle 5 thread, swimming on water, stem stitch in blue perle 5 yarn. Underneath the swan is a large and slightly raised ‘44’ embroidered in padded satin stitch in black perle 3. At the top of insignia is an English crown 150mm x 160m width. Green and gold orb embroidered in satin stitch sits at top of crown. Outlining the shape of the crown is gold metallic yarn, laid in pairs and couched down. On the outside of this are a series of pearly white satin stitch circles, representing pearls, in perle 5. Base of crown features three rubies and two emeralds alternated, and underneath a band of horizontal rows of stem stitch, in white perle 5 with black flecks in bullion stitch to represent ermine fur.
Encircling insignia is wreath, 590 length x 540mm width, of blossoms and leaves from red flowering gum (eucalyptus macrocarpa also called Mottlecah, Rose of the West) and lemon wattle (acacia princefolia).
Three red flowering gum flowers and foliage feature in each of four corners of wreath. Blossoms worked in long and short stitch in 2 shades of red perle 8, with yellow gold stamen represented by French knots in perle 12 and in centre a white bullion stitch using fine stranded cotton. Foliage worked in satin stitch in three shades of blue-green perle 5. Between red flowering gum, along left and right-hand sides of wreath, are bunches of lemon wattle in two shades of yellow with foliage in three shades of yellow-green perle 5. At the base of the wreath, eucalyptus stems from each side intersect. Under the wreath is a scroll of taupe grosgrain silk fabric with embroidered and raised lettering: ‘AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE’, in padded satin stitch in black perle 8. Outline of the scroll is satin stitch embroidered in a pearly white colour, perle 3 thread.

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History Collection

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