Table Of Content

Trench Art - the stories behind the talismans To contact the author, or to purchase the printed edition of this book, please visit: www.vividpublishing.com.au/trenchart Copyright © 2015 Judy Waugh ISBN: 978-1-925341-61-4 (ebook) Published by Vivid Publishing P.O. Box 948, Fremantle Western Australia 6959 www.vividpublishing.com.au All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, shared or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. To those who left unintended epitaphs in times of trauma – carving their names and affirming their values on small and beautiful works of art Foreword by Dr Brendan Nelson Director Australian War Memorial Australian institutions such as the Australian War Memorial have a proud history in preserving Australia’s heritage. However, individuals have a vital role in this, too. Many people, including families, groups, and private collectors, are keen to ensure the survival of the objects that reveal our past. No one deserves to be remembered more than those who served our nation in war and who, too often, gave their lives. Judy Waugh is a dedicated collector of wartime trench art. Her interest is concentrated on those small personal items which she calls “talismans in times of trauma”, made by soldiers from the limited available materials during wartime. The selection of objects she has assembled is remarkable, and all the more important because she has researched the details of the soldier involved; the so-called, “man behind the object”. Many of the soldiers whose stories she reveals are Australians, but there are others, too. The power of the objects is in the story of the men and women behind them. It is this especially which makes the book so compelling. Even though a century has passed since the First World War began, the stories of individual soldiers can still be brought to life by examining the existent records. So much of this information has become available online. I am proud that the Australian War Memorial has been in the forefront of making its records digitally available. Sharing is an important part of preservation. Judy Waugh’s book is fascinating for its fine photographs of small objects. The craftsmanship ranges widely (though many are fine works), but each object displays immense ingenuity and, through Judy Waugh’s research, tells stories of service and sacrifice. I am very happy to encourage this work and thank Judy for sharing her collection with us and the nation. Table of Contents FOREWORD by Dr Brendan Nelson, Director, Australian War Memorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PREFACE CHAPTER 1 PERSONAL TRENCH ART Talismans and touchstones Art in the face of trauma CHAPTER 2 THE COLLECTION Sourcing the collection ‘Amazing’ items Survival of the pieces CHAPTER 3 THE PIECES Identity and values Symbolism and style Theatres of war CHAPTER 4 THE RESEARCH Finding the story Australia and New Zealand Great Britain The story in context CHAPTER 5 STORY COINS CHAPTER 6 A PERSONAL PIECE CHAPTER 7 STORIES FROM FORGOTTEN PIECES Music Pearson’s banjo Artists Regiment Arnold’s mandolin Royal West Kent Lowrie’s bagpipes Black Watch Bell’s drum Royal Field Artillery Morgan’s grand piano King’s Shropshire Light Infantry Gregory’s ukelele Manchester Regiment Hogben’s mandolin Border Regiment ANZAC Scott’s drum New Zealand Rifles Ginger’s cello Australian Imperial Force Ladd’s vesta case Australian Field Artillery Sinclair’s matchbox case Australian Imperial Force Hillman’s matchbox case Australian Imperial Force Wilkinson’s map Australian Light Horse Adams’ small knife Imperial Camel Corps Donald’s letter opener and pencil Australian Imperial Force Denton’s paper knife Australian Light Horse Kelly’s Tunnelling Corps box AustralianTunnelling Corps Hammond’s Boer War locket and WW1 fob Bushmen’s Corps and Australian Light Horse Rootes’ bone crucifix knife Australian Imperial Force Faith Sawyer’s crucifix Hampshire Regiment Gough’s crusader case Gordon Highlanders Castle’s candleholder and matchbox cover Devonshire Regiment Fisk’s crucifix and horn Royal Army Medical Corps Smith’s booklet and ring Royal Horse Guards Cortez’ pyx and sacramental box Wiltshire Regiment Love Adams’ crucifix hearts Royal Air Force Hogg’s matchbox cover Royal Navy Long’s cameo and box Sherwood Foresters Garrett’s photo frame Sherwood Foresters Platt’s Boer War locket, horse brass and paper knife Lancashire Fusiliers Letters home Beaver’s inkwell Royal Fusiliers Cobb’s candleholder Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Grainger’s candelholder East Yorkshire Regiment Pelham’s inkwell Royal Field Artillery Brewer’s scimitar and scabbard The Buffs ‘I was here’ Collings’ HMS Contest cap Royal Navy Bass’ lighter and matchbox case Royal Engineers Geddie’s match holder Highland Light Infantry West’s matchbox cover Northumberland Fusiliers Mickle’s matchbox case Machine Gun Corps Williams’ matchbox cover Welsh Guard King’s matchbox cover Devonshire Regiment Chenery’s tin matchbox cover Lancers Dicks’ pocket knife holder York and Lancaster Regiment Armour’s whistle and pipe tamper King’s Own Scottish Borderers Carvings Barnes’ bone crucifix Oxford Buffs Bateman’s dice box Norfolk Regiment Longman’s bone shield Queen’s Westminster Rifles Kidd’s tobacco box Black Watch Hale’s snuff mull Crimea Crimean War Coins Hogg’s fork and spoon Highland Light Infantry Brunt’s dog tag Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Booth’s coin holder Royal Flying Corps Ford’s tank Machine Gun Corps Pelham’s rupee Mesopotamia Royal Sussex Johnson’s identity bracelet MTASC McBlain’s rupee dog tag Royal Air Force KAZEMIAN dinar MTPC EPILOGUE RESEARCH NOTES Henry Hammond Edward Wildes Holyoak Ladd RESEARCH CLUES ABOUT THIS BOOK REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX