Patriotic china vase : Lieutenant H F Slocombe, AIF

Small squat vase with gilded wavy rim. On the front of the vase is the Rising Sun badge in blue, red and gold.

Herbert Frederick Slocombe was born on 4 February 1889. He enlisted in the AIF on the 16 September 1914 and embarked from Melbourne on the 22 December, with the rank of sergeant, on board HMAT Ceramic. When he arrived in England he was assigned to 301 Mechanical Transport Army Service Corps, 17 Division Ammunition Park. On 12 July 1915 he left Avonmouth, in England for Rouen, France, on board SS Saga, arriving on 15 July. He served on the Western Front and as a warrant officer with 4th Ammunition Sub-Park, in July 1917, was awarded a Military Cross for his actions at an ammunition dump which had caught fire at Vlamertinghe, Belgium. He returned to Australia on 9 December 1918. During the Second World War he enlisted again, on 2 April 1940, giving his date of birth as 7 February 1894. He served in Australia until 21 July 1941, when he was discharged. With its ivory coloured china and gilded trim, this vase is similar in style to crested china that was a popular souvenir before and during the First World War. Goss was the first company to make crested china during the Victorian period and continued to make it through the war. Crested china has the coat of arms of towns or villages, while this piece of china shows the Australian General Service ( or 'Rising Sun') Badge, which would have made this souvenir popular among Australian troops in England.