Historical information

Cocktail party invitation from officers of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to Commodore R B Irving and Officers of the Queen Mary to take place Saturday 20 September 1941 in the Lounge on board. Invitation includes a 'Roll of Officers' "as a memento of our happy association and pleasant voyage". Included in the Roll of Officers is a list of Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) Officers:
A/Matron [Acting Matron] R[ita Frances] Lawler
A/S [Acting Sister] E[dith Muriel] Allen
A/S C[atherine Jean] McKellar
S/N [Staff Nurse] A[lice] Dixon
S/N E[velyn Harris] Ellis
S/N M[argaret Mary] Honner
S/N D[orothy May] Stevens
S/N E[lla Bulstrode] Billing
S/N G[wendolyn Lace] Clarke
S/N M[ona Rene] Peacock
S/N M[arion Young] Huxtable
S/N A[nnie] Darveniza
S/N G[ertrude Agnes] Harper
S/N R[ona] Moore
S/N A[lice Joyce] Linnell
S/N N[ina] Winwood
S/N E[llen Mary] Adams
S/N F[rances Amelia] Aldom
S/N D[orothy May] Bannear
S/N L[esla Meddy] Blanshard
S/N B[etty Mena] Brooking
S/N T[helma Jean] Carter
S/N E[rica Lace] Clarke
S/N M[arjorie Joan] Constable
S/N H[elen Mary] Donnelly
S/N W[inifred Hazel] Drylie
S/N M[ary Clare Louise] Hardwick
S/N N[orma Dulcie] Klose
S/N J[oan Patricia] Larkins
S/N M[artha Alice] Lear
S/N E[llen Margaret] Leonard
S/N G[wen Garnet] Martin
S/N B[ernice May] Morrisby
S/N M[aggie] Morrison
S/N E[thel] McClelland
S/N S[heila Isabel McInnes
S/N A[nnie Theresa] O'Connor
S/N N[ance Vivian] Parker
S/N J[ean Moncur] Patterson
S/N W[inifred] Quin
S/N J[ean Elizabeth] Russell
S/N S[ylvia Jane] Singleton
S/N M[argaret Emma] Stockwell
S/N S[adie Annette] Thomas

Physical description

Large folded invitation booklet [approx B5]. Printed on off-white leather-grain card with black ink, cover shows a printed drawing of a ship with three funnels inside a border with text above and below and all that enclosed within another border. There is handwriting in the top left corner.
Inside is the text of the invitation with two handwritten names in blue and black ink towards the top. Below the text of the invitation and on the other opening side is a Roll of Officers.
Back of invitation is blank except for handwritten former catalogue and current catalogue numbers.

Inscriptions & markings

'LESLA BLANSHARD / VX 59694' [Blue ink on cover, top right corner]
'W [?] E[?] L[??] C[??] Officer (Bill)' [Blue ink inside first page towards top]
'Arthur V [??]block A.C. Engineer Officer' [Black ink inside first page towards top]
'H83' [Back cover top right corner, blue ink]