Black silk cap ribbon with “H.M.T. AWATEA” embroidered in gold thread. The tally is preserved inside a clear plastic sleeve for protection. The lettering style is consistent with mid-20th-century naval tallies used by the British and Commonwealth forces.
The H.M.T. Awatea (His Majesty’s Transport Awatea) was a New Zealand liner requisitioned as a troop transport during the Second World War. Originally operated by the Union Steam Ship Company, the vessel carried troops to Europe and North Africa, including Canadian and Allied forces. In November 1942, while participating in the Allied landings at Oran (Operation Torch), Awatea was attacked by German aircraft and sunk.