Souvenir olive wood album sent by George Benton from the Holy Land 1941

George Albert Benton was born on 14 July 1917 in Mornington, Victoria. He enlisted in the Australian Army (service number VX33826) at Royal Park on 22 June 1940, where his occupation was listed as a motor transport driver.
He served with the 2/10, 2/15 and 2/16 Field Companies, Royal Australian Engineers. He disembarked in the Middle East on 3 February 1941 and was transferred to the Australian Headquarters Guards Battalion on 3 June 1941. He returned to Australia on compassionate grounds on 21 July 1941, disembarking in Sydney on 24 August 1941. He was discharged on 8 September 1941.
George's only brother, Leonard Arthur, was accidentally killed, aged 18 on February 7 1941. George also had three sisters, Irene, Edna, and Myrtle, with the youngest one (Myrtie) being who the pressed flower cards in the album were sent to.

Visiting servicemen and women purchased a variety of souvenirs from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Palestine and The Holy Land while passing through on active service during both world wars.
Some of the more common items were embroideries such as cushion covers, painted artworks on fabric, jewellery made from mother of pearl, metal and timber, and photo albums with wooden covers filled with postcards of local scenes and pressed dried flowers.
There was also a range of trinket boxes, often with hidden drawers, made from the local olive wood and a range of other olive wood items including napkin rings such as these and even a portable book shelf.