| Accession Number | REL49807 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Trench Art |
| Physical description | Brass |
| Maker |
Haniel Luege |
| Place made | France, Germany |
| Date made | post 1917 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Trench art vase : Private H J Keable, 56 Battalion, AIF
Description
Trench art vase with tulip design crafted from a brass German 7.7 Feld Kanone shell case. The case sides are pierced to represent the flowers and stems growing out of the base. The headstamp on the base of the shell reads: St/ G 229/ SEPT 1917/ 67% Cu/ HL/25. This shows that the case was 'Stark' - strengthened, possibly lot No 229; Manufactured in September 1917; was of 67 percent copper; and made at the Haniel Luege brass works at Dusseldorf. The Number 25 is an inspection mark.
History / Summary
Private Harold John Keable enlisted in August 1915 and after a period of service on the strength of the 14th Field Ambulance, was posted to 20th Battalion. He received a severe gunshot wound to the chest on 20 July 1916, and after recuperating in England was posted to the 56th Battalion. He returned to Australia on 31 May 1919. The provenance of the shell and the identity of the artist who worked the shell is unknown. The underlying shell is from either a German 7.7 FK 96 or 7.7 cm FK 16 field artillery piece. Both types used common ammunition, and both were in widespread use on the Western Front.