Small patriotic china vase : Lieutenant H F Slocombe, AIF

Small white china vase with gilded rim. On the front of the vase are the flags for the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Russia. Beneath the flags is the text 'THE ALLIES FLAGS FOR LIBERTY & FREEDOM'. On the bottom of the vase is the maker's mark for Samuel Radfords Ltd.

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. Crested china had the coat of arms of towns or villages, while this piece of china shows the popular wartime device of the flags of Allied nations.