| Place | Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL/00417 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Copper |
| Maker |
Cleall, E H |
| Place made | Ottoman Empire: Turkey, Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Cape Helles Area, Cape Helles |
| Date made | 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Source credit to | This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government. |
Ashtray formed from the copper dome of Point Helles Lighthouse : Bombadier H J Burnett, 2nd Battery, 1st Artillery Brigade, AIF
Description
Circular copper ashtray in a low profile, flat-based dish form, with evidence of extensive hammering used to form the shape. The original copper sheet which formed the basis of this ashtray appears to have been about 2mm - 2.5mm thick. The 17mm wide rim features the following wording, fairly deeply impressed into the copper: (upper section) 'PIECE OF DOME OF LIGHTHOUSE ON HELLES POINT GALLIPOLI. DESTROYED BY SHELLFIRE H.M.S. PRINCE OF WALES AND LONDON'; (lower section) 'DARDANELLES 25.4.15'.
The inner base is impressed: "NO 220 BDR. H. J. BURNETT. / 2ND BATTERY. RAFA".
History / Summary
This personalised ashtray was made at Helles and purchased by Bombadier Harry James Burnett while serving at Gallipoli. A cottage industry of trench art ashtrays made from the copper of the Helles lighthouse dome appears to have been established by a member of the 29th (British) Division, with a number of ashtrays with similar inscriptions being produced. An engraved entry on a similar ashtray sold online in 2009 identified the maker of most of them as Battery Sergeant E H Cleall, 14th Siege Battery, 29 Division. M.E.F., and that he was operating in the vicinity of the lighthouse remains. The lighthouse had been shelled and destroyed by the British destroyers HMS 'Prince of Wales' and 'London' on Easter Sunday, 1915.
The buyers of the ashtrays were able to have them personalised, for a small additional fee, by the addition of their name and unit details. These appear to have been added using professional steel punches, owing to the accuracy, depth and precision of the lettering on the examples examined.
A number of decorations have been noted within the Australian War Memorial's collections, mostly within the bowl of the ashtray, some featuring crudely incised emus and kangaroos; others bearing a Turkish crescent and star, while others are relatively plain. This implies that such designs could be added for an extra fee.
This particular example was purchased by 220 Bombadier (later Lieutenant) Harry James Burnett, 2nd Battery, 1st Artillery Brigade, AIF. A resident of Moss Vale, Burnett enlisted on 24 August 1914. After service throughout the Gallipoli campaign, he served with his unit on the Western Front, and was commissioned as an officer in January 1918 and was transferred to 5 Battery, 2nd Field Artillery Bigade. He was wounded in action on 28 April 1918, suffering multiple gunshot wounds, and rejoined his unit just over two weeks later - almost immediately, on 22 May, he was shot again, but remained on duty. Burnett remained with his unit until the end of the war.