| Accession Number | REL/00021.002 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Brass |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Brass stand for souvenir shell case
Description
Soldered brass suspension stand designed to hang a shell-case (REL/00021.001) for use as a dinner gong. The base and tapering pillars are engraved with faux Egyptian motifs. A striker with a padded head wrapped in leather and secured with thin twine sits on a pair of horizontal hooks to the proper right of the stand.
History / Summary
This stand held an 18-pounder field gun shell case which fired the last shot towards the Olive Grove, on Gallipoli, before the final evacuation of Australian troops in December 1915. It was later inscribed with the details of the gun and battery from which it was fired, together with the names of the men in the detachment who had fired the shell and the name of their battery commander, Captain William Waite.
Upon their return to Egypt the members of the detachment made this stand to suspend the shellcase from, and used it as a regimental mess gong. Note the Egyptian themes and motifs which have been used to decorate the stand.