LIGHTER

Description: 2 BRASS "CWAC" BUTTONS MADE INTO A LIGHTER, C/W WICK, FLINT & WHEEL & CAP.

History: HAND MADE & NOT REGULAR ISSUE. SEE P19890024001-GA FOR DONOR HISTORY *UPDATE* IN 2012 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT DAVID SMITH CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ORIGINAL DONOR. SERGEANT LAURA E. HICKS SERVED WITH THE CANADIAN WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS DURING WWII. ACCORDING TO THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND THE GALT ARCHIVES, SGT. HICKS WAS FROM LETHBRIDGE AND SERVED OVERSEAS. CHRISTMAS CARDS HELD IN ARCHIVES INDICATE THAT SHE WAS IN LONDON, ENGLAND AROUND CHRISTMAS 1944. HER DONATED CWAC HAT (P19890024001) HAS HER MILITARY SERVICE NUMBER WRITTEN IN AND READS, “W.15095 PVT, HICKS, L.E.”. THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE HER PROMOTION(S) FROM PRIVATE TO SERGEANT. AT THE TIME OF DONATION, LAURA HICKS SAID THAT THE CHARMS ON HER CHARM BRACELET (P19890024009) CHART HER UNIT’S OVERSEAS PROGRESS IN 1944. CHARMS INCLUDE: SINT-TRUIDEN (BELGIUM), PARIS (FRANCE), GHENT (BELGIUM), SAINT-OMER (FRANCE), BRUSSELS (BELGIUM), ANTWERP (BELGIUM), ARC DE TRIOMPHE PARIS (FRANCE), OSTEND (BELGIUM), VERSAILLES (FRANCE), LEOPOLDSBURG (BELGIUM). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.