Armistice day

[oneshot1979]

Remembering the fallen. 
On this day of remembrance when we all pay our respects to those who gave their all, I'd like to share this little trinket and my thoughts on it with you.
Whilst working away in a scrapyard a few years ago I came across this beautiful little piece of trench art.
Crafted by hand out of a 2 pounder shell, stamped 1915, a stunning little miniature coal scuttle ashtray. 
I don't know who made it, whose it was, I don't know its history, and I never will, but that's what strikes me about it the most.
In 1915 every piece of ordnance being produced was being sent to France, so this shell was there, this shell was a part of that war, this shell was handled by the people we honour, but more than that, once it's job was done one of those young men picked it up, took it  back to what ever refuge he was holed up in and amongst the mud, water and sheer hell that was the Somme/Ypres/Flanders etc he put his heart, soul and love into crafting a little keepsake to send back home for  a loved one. 
This little piece came home to England, it made it back, and sat proudly on someone's table, every time they flicked their ash they would be reminded of someone they loved, held dear in their hearts. A piece to be remembered by. 
Time goes by and I find it discarded in the scrap, destined for destruction, that history, that memory, that man, gone. Forgotten. Forever. Oblivion.
That can't happen, so I claim it as my own, it has a new home, it is cherished, My daughters love it, they understand my passion for it and on this day every year I look at it a little bit differently, for this is my forgotten soldier, my unknown warrior, his name lost to time, but his memory immortal. Wherever he may lay, his sacrifice will never be forgotten.
"When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow we gave our today"

[TIGHTCHOKE]

A cracking and poignant tale.  

[Mr grumpy]

Both,thought provoking and moving thankyou for writing such a lovely heartfelt piece.

[dead eye alan]

Well said sir I salute you.

[marlin vs]

Good story and nice to see someone realising what they have, thank you for sharing.

[powler]

Great write up. 👍

[wisdom]

Beautifully composed thread.And a great thing you have preserved.Should it be polished or left as it is? there is a question.

[henry d]

5 hours ago, wisdom said:

Should it be polished or left as it is?

Polished now and again, last time with mine was early May before our reunion. A cut down 4.5" shell...

Not my photo, but you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end. 

 

I cut several down on the lathe onboard I had thought about inscribing it but haven't yet, 40 years flies by!

Edited November 12, 2022 by henry d
Addendum

[oneshot1979]

I also have these, Carr Wild & Co Ltd mk1 wire cutters, dated 1917, also found amongst the scrap and saved.

I have my thoughts on these too, often sitting by the fire with a drink, turning them over my hands, pondering on what history they themselves must have seen.

[welsh1]

36 minutes ago, oneshot1979 said:

I also have these, Carr Wild & Co Ltd mk1 wire cutters, dated 1917, also found amongst the scrap and saved.

I have my thoughts on these too, often sitting by the fire with a drink, turning them over my hands, pondering on what history they themselves must have seen.

In our G10 stores we had lots of wire cutters,1939-45 were common dates to come across, some of the mine detectors had war dates on them as well ,always made you think what they had experienced.

[Scully]

I only have a few pieces of WW1 militaria and memorabilia left now from what was once quite an impressive ( to me ) collection, but this is one of a few artillery pieces I still have. 
It is a 21cm ‘Morser ‘ ( Mortar ) Heavy Artillery shell from 1917, and base stamped ‘Patronfabrik Karlsruhe’ and was brought back by my Grandad who served in the Royal Artillery. 
OH displays dried flowers in it. 

[Minky]

My Grandfather on mums side was killed whilst under shell fire near Bethune in 1918 in the East Surrey Regiment.  He is still out there in the Gorre British & commonwealth cemetery.   A young man skilled as a cabinet maker and joiner who left a wife and two young girls behind.  The family was like a train that had hit a set of points that sent part of the family train off on a different path.  The event of the firing pin striking the shell set off a sequence of events that changed our world.  We all live on a very tight line for a very short time. His name is remembered along with lots of others on a war memorial in Hastings where he was from.  Such a waste but if he hadn't  have been killed i wouldn't be here.   Strange ole life isn't it.

Edit   The train would have gone in a different direction and I wouldn't have been a passenger. 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Minky

[henry d]

1 hour ago, Scully said:

I only have a few pieces of WW1 militaria and memorabilia left now from what was once quite an impressive ( to me ) collection, but this is one of a few artillery pieces I still have. 
It is a 21cm ‘Morser ‘ ( Mortar ) Heavy Artillery shell from 1917, and base stamped ‘Patronfabrik Karlsruhe’ and was brought back by my Grandad who served in the Royal Artillery. 
OH displays dried flowers in it. 

A lovely thing from something not so lovely. 

[Scully]

2 minutes ago, henry d said:

A lovely thing from something not so lovely. 

Indeed. 👍

[JohnfromUK]

I have my grandfathers WW1 medals, which includes Military Cross.  I also have a large shell case (not sure what date/conflict) which is a stand for my cleaning rods.