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Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

Small Metal Box of ‘Bell’s’ Waterproof Wax Vestas (Matches) Belonging to Pte Thomas Albert Henry MINCHIN, WX9222

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Bell's

c. 1940

Overview

Small rectangular metal box of Bell’s waterproof wax vestas (matches), with hinged lid and containing large number of unused matches. Underneath is a serrated patch used to strike the match. Item belonged to Pte Thomas Albert Henry MINCHIN, WX9222.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2007.1.1

Item type

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 2

Material

Wood (Plant Material)

Width

78 mm

Height or length

40 mm

Depth

20 mm

Weight

38 g

Inscriptions and markings

Top of Lid, “BELL'S / WATERPROOF / WAX VESTAS" with “MADE IN / AUSTRALIA”

Contextual information

Private Thomas Albert MINCHIN, Army No. WX9222 enlisted on 30/10/1940, age 29 years, and was discharged 11/01/1946. He was with the 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion during the Second World War. Thomas was listed missing in Malaya on the 15/04/1942 and later listed a POW on the 05/05/1943. He was interned in a Thailand Camp and on the 04/10/1945 Thomas was recovered from the Japanese and returned to Australia. This box of matches is part of a collection of items donated by the family of Pte. MINCHIN.

Keywords

2/4th Machine Gun Battalion

Prisoner of War

Place made

Australia

Year

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity

Object’s condition or completeness

Rare or representative

Well provenanced

Google Maps search term / URL

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gWHZtRH1mm24SAjK8]

Geotag

-35.030449, 117.912878
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Last modified

Monday, 22 September, 2025

Completeness

88

Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum

Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum

Other items from Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum

Small Metal Box of ‘Bell’s’ Waterproof Wax Vestas (Matches)

Small Metal Box of ‘Bell’s’ Waterproof Wax Vestas (Matches)

Inside View

Inside View

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