Improvised smoking pipe: Private William Charles Barton, Armoured Car Regiment, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force

Pipe bowl which appears to be of commercial manufacture of the billiard shape, but was made from native wood, with the stem fashioned from a very long length (270 mm) of copper pipe, probably from a wrecked aircraft. The end of the copper pipe has been squeezed into a mouthpiece. Additionally there is an alternative stem made from bamboo, 105mm in length.

Improvised pipe made on Bahkan-Mati island POW camp by Private William Charles Barton born in Victoria on 25 March 1910. Barton, an Australia, served with the Armoured Car Regiment of the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force as a despatch rider. The bowl and shank was handmade from native wood, while the alternative stems were made for specific purposes. The long copper stem was used from smoking dried weeds, while the short stem made of bamboo was used for smoking tobacco stalks issued by the Japanese. When the war was over, he returned to Australia aboard the Manunda hospital ship.