Historical information

The kit bag was used by James Thomas Alfred Ralph, who was born in South Australia on 25 September 1897. He enlisted for service in the First World War on 17 May 1918 in Adelaide with the Australian Medical Corps General Reinforcements. He was allocated the service number 20568 and embarked from Adelaide on the HMT Gaika on 6 August 1918. He arrived in London, England on the 13 October 1918 and allocated to the Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot. He transferred as a medical officer to the 1st Australian Hospital (Hayfield?) on 2 December 1918, and was attached to the 1st Australian Army Hospital (Sutton Vale?) in January 1919. He returned to Australia in Febuary 1920 on the Cape Verde as nursing staff. He was discharged from service in Adelaide on 17th March 1920.

Physical description

Tan coloured canvas kit bag used by a member of the Australian Army Medical Corps during World War 1. The tubular kit bag has 12 brass eyelets placed around its opening, and is reinforced with a second layer of canvas at its base. The kit bag has a side stitched seam, stiching around the base and top opening. A circular lightweight tan canvas flap is stitched to the top opening at the side seam.

Inscriptions & markings

On the side if the kit bag is a red cross on a white background, surrounded by a circular yellow line. It also has the numbers 20568, with the words JAS.T. A. RALPH, A.A.M.C, A.I.F., AND 4.M.D. The base of the kit bag has a map of Australia in black ink, with 4.M.D printed in black ink above the map. "Sth. Aus." and numbers "20568" are printed in black ink over the map of Australia. The marking 'broad arrow' is printed in black ink on the inside of the top opening.