Souvenir wooden 'shell' : Chaplain V A S Little, HMAS Sydney

Souvenir wooden naval 'shell' commemorating the battle between HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden off the Cocos-Keeling Islands on 9 November 1914. Lathe turned 'shell' is painted black. There are two painted stripes around the shoulder of the shell, the upper one white and the lower one red. There is also a painted white stripe above the raised ridge at the base of the shell that is painted a copper colour to represent the shell's driving band. The body of the shell is marked in red paint 'N 9.11.14'.

This shell was made as a souvenir by carpenters in HMAS Sydney and presented to the ship's chaplain. Chaplain Vivian Agincourt Spence Little joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as a naval chaplian in 1913 and was posted to HMAS Encounter. As a Methodist he was the first non-Anglican protestant chaplain to be appointed to the RAN. He travelled to England in the Encounter to become part of the complement of the newly commissioned light cruiser HMAS Sydney on her maiden voyage to Australia. He remained with the Sydney until 1917 and was serving in the ship during its fight with SMS Emden off the Cocos Keeling Islands on 9 November 1914.