Trench art vase : Private Francis Joseph Hall, Graves Registration Section

Accession Number REL46407
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Trench Art
Physical description Brass
Maker Unknown
Place made France
Date made c 1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Used 18 pounder field gun shell case trench art vase hand decorated with 'SOMME' and flowers on a pebbled background, with a flared scalloped top. The upper and lower 3 cm of casing has been left undecorated. The base is impressed with, 'SEPR/ AWS/ 21/ 104/ AM85'.

History / Summary

This trench art vase was acquired by 59043 Francis Joseph Hall during his overseas service. It is likely he acquired it in France in early 1919, when he was working with the Australian Graves Registration Section.

Hall successfully enlisted with the AIF on 17 May 1918 aged 21. He had previously attempted to enlist but was declined on medical grounds due to a small chest measurement of 31 inches. He was assigned to 17 Battalion reinforcements and embarked from Sydney in July 1918.

By the time he disembarked in England in August the Allies had launched a final offensive and had won a series of decisive battles. Hall was in training at the Fovant camp in southern England when the armistice was declared on 11 November 1918, and had decidedly missed seeing any action.

Hall volunteered for further service with the Australian Graves Registration Section in March 1919 and worked with the unit until August 1919 in France near the Belgian border. During this time his duties included recovering bodies, identifying the deceased, locating unmarked graves and reburying the bodies of his fellow Australians.

In September of 1919 he returned to Australia. Affected by what he saw during 1919 Hall was institutionalised in Callan Park Mental Hospital in 1939. He had an eight year old daughter and wife at the time. He remained in Callan Park hospital until his death in 1950.