Trench art cruet set : Petty Officer Stoker A J Richter, HMAS Sydney II

Trench art cruet set made from heavy gauge steel wire of varying thicknesses and fine twisted wire, in the form of a fouled anchor resting on top of a coil of 'rope'. The extended arms of the anchor, which are at right angles to the flukes, bear a knob on each end. Each arm bears a ring of wire set in 5mm from the knob. Suspended on the arms in the gap between the knob and the wire are a pair of salt and pepper cruets with hand poured glass holders set in spot welded box wire steel frames to imitate the appearance of port and starboard lights. One container is of green glass, representing starboard. The other once had an internal red coating, representing port, but nearly all of it is now worn off. The blued metal tops of the 'lights' are perforated to allow salt or pepper to be dispensed and were originally commercially produced and stamped, with only the wire suspension loops being added later by the maker of the set. Apart from the dispenser caps, all metal parts have been partially blackened, either with blueing or japanning fluid.

This trench art cruet set was made by Petty Officer Stoker Arthur John Richter while he was serving in the light cruiser HMAS Sydney II between April 1941 and the ship's last shore visit in Western Australia before she was sunk with all hands by the German raider Kormoran on 20 November 1941. Although the name of the person to whom he sent it cannot be established it may have been his wife, Muriel, one of his children, or another female relative.

Richter was born at Culcairn, New South Wales, on 10 March 1900. He was working as a labourer when he joined the RAN on 15 December 1920. He was assigned the service number 12782 and after nine months initial training at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria was posted to the light cruiser HMAS Sydney I between October 1921 and May 1922, where he began specialist engine room training as a stoker.

Richter's subsequent service alternated between naval shore establishments and seagoing postings. The latter included the cruiser HMAS Adelaide, between May 1923 and September 1925, another posting to HMAS Sydney I in 1925, and the destroyer HMAS Swordsman between August 1927 and April 1928. In April 1935 Richter was posted to the survey sloop HMAS Moresby for two years while it undertook strategic surveys in northern Australian waters.

After fifteen months ashore Richter was posted to HMAS Hobart from September 1938 until January 1939. In April 1941 he joined HMAS Sydney II after her return from the Mediterranean. He may have sent this cruet back to his family in New South Wales when the Sydney visited Albany, Fremantle or Geraldton in Western Australia.