Crocheted tea cloth : 'Dardanelles 1915 - Our Heroes'

Handmade filet crochet cotton patriotic tea cloth. The centre of the cloth is a crocheted square worked with an image of a battleship, two Union Jacks and the words 'DARDANELLES 1915 OUR HEROES'. This central design is framed by a plain crotched border with scalloped edges.

This design was one of many patriotic crochet patterns made popular during the First World War. The Ladies Home Journal published a series of these patterns which Australian women could complete to make a variety of household items, such as bedspreads, tray cloths or table cloths. This particular example was made by the mother of 490 Private Samuel James Smith who served with 12 Battalion at Gallipoli. He was born at Avoca, Tasmania and worked as a laborer prior to his enlistment in August 1914 at the age of 21 years. He was wounded at Gallipoli in May with gunshot wounds to the arm and thigh. After the Gallipoli campaign, Smith transferred to 52 Battalion and embarked with the British Expeditionary Force in June 1916 from Alexandria, Egypt for Marseilles, France to serve on the Western Front. He was promoted to lance corporal in September 1916, then corporal in March 1917. Smith was again wounded with gunshot wounds to the foot and leg, and as a result of these wounds, returned to Australia in March 1918 and was discharged from service in December that year.