ELTHAM LIBRARY DISPLAY
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The Nillumbik Shire Council approached the MERSL with a suggestion of a small memorabilia display in a glass cabinet beneath the Roll of Honour which has been located on a wall in the library since June 2023 (see a photo and explanation on the Previous Activities page). The Council generously offered to purchased the cabinet and we will have a small number of items on display there, with changes to the collection occurring before Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
The current display includes the following items (click each photo to see larger pic), each of which have a connection the World War 1:
1) Water Bottle
Many designs of water bottle have been used in the military throughout many wars. The one on display was a metal container with a cork stopper at the top. it was wrapped in a felt cover and carried in a harness with a shoulder strap. It held about a litre of water and was often the only water a soldier received for the day to be used not only for drinking but also for cooking and washing.
2) Mess Tin
A 'mess tin' was what a soldier used as the container in which to cook his food and then to eat from. Cooking usually just involved heating the contents of one or more cans of food which were part of a soldier's daily ration pack (a 'rat pack'). The mess tin has had many designs over the years, the one on display being a common WW1 design. It has a 'D' shaped base and a close-fitting lid to keep unfinished food until the next opportunity came to finish the meal. Inside the lid there was also a hinged stiff-wire holder to be used while cooking – the metal container could get quite hot!
3) Leggings
Leggings were made of stiff leather and were strapped around a soldier's lower legs. They were used by mounted soldiers, especially those in one of the many Light Horse regiments. Officers also wore them on occasions.
The pair on display is a more elaborate version of the the basic design. A long strap which wraps twice around the leg before being buckled enabled a firmer fitting. This design also includes the maker's name (Marshall Shoe Co.) and date (1916).
4) Memorial Plaque
If a soldier was killed overseas while a member of the armed forces, his family was sent a circular bronze plaque, about 15 cm in diameter. It was often referred to as a Dead Man's Penny. In the library display we have include the plaque which was sent to the family of Pte. George Whitbourn who died while posted at Gallipoli, and was buried at Lone Pine Cemetery.
5) World War 1 Medals
The three main medals which were awarded to soldiers who were eligible were the British War Medal, The Victory Medal, and the 1914-15 Star.
An ANZAC Commemorative Medal (abt 3 cm in dia) was also struck in 1967 and sent to all soldiers who were still living and who served in or near Gallipoli during that campaign.
Pte. John McCormick (918)
Pte McCormick enlisted in January 1915 as an 18 year-old and was posted to the 8th Light Horse Regiment. He served overseas during 1915 and returned to Australia in June 1916. For his service he was awarded the British War Medal and the 1914-15 Star. He was also eligible for the Victory Medal but there is no record of whether he actually received it.
Lt. Reginald Barratt (2166)
Lt Barratt enlisted in August 1914 and joined the Light Horse Brigade. He was living in Heidelberg at the time. Enlistment details and other National Archive records can be viewed here.
He later served with the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade in the Dardanelles in 1915, and later in France and Belgium in 1916 with the 1st F.A.B, was given treatment for gas poisoning late in 1916. Sadly, he died in August 1917 as a result of gunshot wounds received while serving in Belgium and was buried there.
His British War Medal and Victory Medal were donated to the MERSL. His family would also have received a Memorial Plaque to commemorate his sacrifice. There is a Red Cross file (click link) which records the circumstances of his death and personal comments by a number of soldiers in his unit. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a record (click link) of his burial details.
William R. Hawkins received a Commemorative Medal (abt. 4-5 cm in dia; his name is engraved on the reverse side).
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