Shell-tapering machine

First subject chosen by the artist during his visit to the Commonwealth Ordnance Workshops. 'On the following day I chose the big electric drop-hammer for my first drawing. Lumps of red-hot steel were clawed out of furnaces by groups of sweating fellows armed with long tongs- blacksmith's of our modern age, who employed their tools and their brawn skillfully to work a block of steel into the rough shape of a shell.' Curtis felt very welcome at the ordinance factory and enjoyed camaraderie with the men. One bribed him with food to sketch his portrait much to the amusement of his colleagues. This man later described to Curtis in gory detail how he lost his first two fingers under the big drop hammer the year before. The artist commented that most of the senior supervisors were "Pommies" who had brought their specialist training and experience in munitions work of the First World War to Australia. Many others were returned servicemen.