| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL/15432 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Brass, Metal, Wood |
| Maker |
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG |
| Place made | Germany: Baden-Wurttemberg, Baden |
| Date made | c 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Harmonica : Corporal W G Davies, 2 Division Signal Company, AIF
Description
Standard auto valve harp in C, with ten double-tone holes, a red varnished wooden comb, chrome plated front and rear covers and brass valve plates. The upper cover is impressed 'Hohner's Double Valve Harp (Greater Volume of Tone) Patented in All Countries', with the tone holes numbered 1 to 10. The key (C) is impressed above the right mounting nut. The reverse is impressed with the Hohner trade mark and the words 'M. Hohner Made in Germany', and is decorated with award mentions (Stuttgart 1881and Ulm 1891). Both covers bear surface corrosion.
History / Summary
Auto valve harmonica used by 612 Sapper Walter Grantham Davies, an electrical fitter with the NSW Government Railways Signal Branch, of Paddington, NSW, who enlisted on 28 August 1914 at Randwick, aged 20. Initially assigned to 1 Battalion, Davies was transferred to 1 Company, Field Engineers on 22 September 1914 before embarking on 1 February 1915 for overseas service. He landed at Anzac Cove on 16 May 1915 and served with his company until he was evacuated to St Georges Hospital, Malta on 29 August with rheumatic fever. He was returned to England aboard 'Oxfordshire' on 18 September and sent to No 2 Birmingham War Hospital where he spent over five months under treatment.
Davies was discharged from hospital and reported for duty on 1 March 1916 at Weymouth Signal Troop. He was later transferred to the Engineer Training Depot (Signal Section) at Shefford on 1 September where he underwent training. Davies was made Temporary Corporal in the same month and temporarily served as an extra duty pay Corporal during March and April 1917. He embarked for France on 23 April and after a month in depots at Abbeville was taken on strength of 2nd Division Signal Company as a sapper/cableman.
On 24 September 1917 Sapper Davies was admitted to hospital with neurasthenia and underwent an extended stay in numerous French hospitals at Wimereux, Boulogne and Aubergne (where his condition was reclassified as shell shock) before being transferred to England on 29 December. Here his diagnosis was noted as 'shell concussion epilepsy' and he was returned to Australia aboard the transport 'Karoola' which arrived in Sydney on 28 May 1918. He was discharged as medically unfit on 2 December 1918.