Improvised sign, 'WIND SAFE' : Pont D'Achelles, France : Lieutenant Colonel J B St Vincent-Welch, 13 Field Ambulance, AIF

Sign board made from a wooden plank taken from the side of an ammunition case, painted gloss black with enamel paint and the words 'WIND SAFE' in discoloured white lettering. At the top of the notice board is a tan leather strap secured to the notice board by two iron nails which are bent over at the rear. Twisted onto a nail in each top corner is a length of picture hanging wire used to suspend the sign. Two small iron nails protrude through the rear right of the sign and there is evidence that other nails have been removed.

This is one of a pair of signs, 'WIND SAFE' and 'WIND DANGEROUS', which would have indicated the probability of gas attack to soldiers in a section of trench. The sign was made from a box which had originally contained High Explosive shells for an 18 Pounder field gun.

The name 'Pont D'Achelles' written on the back of the other sign probably indicates that they originated in this area, which was in the Armentieres - Nieppe sector, occupied by British forces for most of the war.

Pont D'Achelles was the site of a combined dressing station and collection post during the battle of Messines in June 1917. In the two weeks of June 6 -15, the Pont D'Achelles dressing station treated 433 soldiers of the Third and Fourth Australian Divisions who had been gassed during the Messines Battle.