Bell fragment, Cloth Hall, Ypres : Driver J Whelan, 6 Mechanical Transport Company, AIF

Bronze fragment from the shoulder of one of the Cloth Hall Carillon bells, which displays a small upper portion of the design from a decorative panel cast into the bell' s outer wall. All other edges show evidence of shatter damage, including the rear of the piece, while the outer upper face - equivalent to the shoulder - is pocked with impact marks.

Fragment of bronze bell from the Cloth Hall Carillon, Ypres. Cast in the early 1680s, this is one of 49 bells which formed the clock carillon which was added to the thirteenth century Ypres Cloth Hall in 1608. The clock was made by Tossanus Cambron and chimed the half hour and announced the opening and closing of Ypres' medieval city gates. The Cloth Hall at Ypres was almost completely destroyed by German shelling during the First World War and this bell was presumably shattered by an explosion or by falling from the belfry in which it hung. This fragment was recovered in 1917 and brought back to Australia by 13330 Driver John Whelan, a motor mechanic of Lewisham, NSW who enlisted in 25 September 1916 aged 28. After training Whelan embarked for overseas service from Melbourne aboard HMAS Persic on 22 December 1916. Whelan was assigned to the 6 Mechanical Transport Company which saw service in Belgium in 1917 and France in 1918, and returned to Australia on 18 July 1919.