The 2/6th Commando Squadron (Australia) was one of 12 independent companies or commando squadrons raised by the Australian Army during WW2. The 2/6th served in four major campaigns - Kokoda, Buna, Markham-Ramu and Borneo and was involved in the Battle of Kaiapit. Late in the WW2 hostilities 2/6th Commando Squadron was at Balikpapan and attached to 25th Brigade to provide support to the Brigade - reconnaissance patrols, fighting patrols, ambushes and humanitarian assistance to local inhabitants. The 2/6th Commando Squadron was disbanded in 1946. The Sword returned to Australia with a member of 2/6th Commando Squadron VX132826 W G H Burrell. The Book Purple Devils was written by Syd Trigellis Smith in his retirement, he had served during WW2 with 2/2 Field Regiment in New Guinea.VX132826 W G H Burrell served with the AIF during WW2 in New Guinea and posted to 2/6th Commando Squadron and was on Borneo and at Balikpapan. George Burrell was able to being back the sword at the end of hostilities. The Book the Purple Devils is the 2/6th Commando Squadron history as interpreted by Syd Trigellis Smith.Book Purple Devils by Syd Trigellis, Smith, a Japanise Sword - steel blade encased in a leather scabbard and the military history of VX132826 W G H Burrell who served with 2/6 th Commando Squadron.The Book - Purple Devils, a History of 2/6 Australian Commando Squadron, ISBN 064607125-4. vx132826 w g h burrell, ww2, new guinea, 2/6th commando sqn, gunto sword, purple devils

Outer cover is grey cardboard folded in half with dark blue printing on front only in various Fonts and sizes. It has a border around the writing and also has the emblem of the Square and Compass on front. The inside page is light blue paper folded in half with Dark blue printing on each page. It is in various Fonts and sizes.h w j anderson, r v andrewartha, j d bailey, s baird, c a baker, c j c baker, f c beck, e h blackwood, f c bleach, e v block, c bott, o boulton, w d bourne, j brown, n buckman, w g burrell, camberwell lodge no 159, c e carter, norman christensen, g s clark, j w coldwell, h n davies, h r dixon, t h edwards, h a emonson, k w epstein, l a, epstein, frederick ernest espie, f frewin, w h c goss, p f guthridge, a s hall, r hanson, h s harvey, j e higginbotham, rev a t holden, a e hollinshead, h w humphries, e a kent, j r kent, s j lanceter, w j lees, d livingstone, r j long, a machar, w mair, h a manson, j mark, masonic hall st edmonds road, prahran, w mciiroy, d c mills, h w moffat, h munson, g s neville, a e o'brien, l f orr, h e l perkins, r purser, w j rickard, g h rule, j j ryan, g t sanderson, leigh scott, h a shave, e a smith, a e spiller, a stickland, h s stillwell, e l swift, a b templeman, hawksburn lodge no 272, w c towns, dr w g h tregar, h wain, r l wardlaw, r whyte, g w wigg, t j wilson, j p wishart

A cream cardboard folded in half with an insert of one page of cream paper. Printing is in Dark blue of various Fonts and sizes. Holes punched on left hand side with light blue ribbon threaded through and tied in bow.h w j anderson, r v andrewartha, j d bailey, s baird, c a baker, c j c baker, f c beck, e h blackwood, f c bleach, e v block, c bott, o boulton, w d bourne, j brown, n buckman, w g burrell, camberwell lodge no 159, c e carter, norman christensen, g s clark, j w coldwell, h n davies, h r dixon, t h edwards, h a emonson, k w epstein, l a, epstein, frederick ernest espie, f frewin, w h c goss, p f guthridge, a s hall, r hanson, h s harvey, j e higginbotham, rev a t holden, a e hollinshead, h w humphries, e a kent, j r kent, s j lanceter, w j lees, d livingstone, r j long, a machar, w mair, h a manson, j mark, masonic hall st edmonds road, prahran, w mciiroy, d c mills, h w moffat, h munson, g s neville, a e o'brien, l f orr, h e l perkins, r purser, w j rickard, g h rule, j j ryan, g t sanderson, leigh scott, h a shave, e a smith, a e spiller, a stickland, h s stillwell, e l swift, a b templeman, hawksburn lodge no 272, w c towns, dr w g h tregar, h wain, r l wardlaw, r whyte, g w wigg, t j wilson, j p wishart