Container made from shellcases : Private J T B Elderfield, 23 Battalion AIF

Two cut down brass French 75 mm shellcases, modified to form a lidded container. The primers have been removed and plain brass plugs inserted in their place. the markings on the bases are only partly legibile. They include '75 DE G. F.RE. 2. 16.X'.

The container holds two German 1 Mark notes (one torn in half); a German 5 Mark note; a brass cap badge for the British Northumberland Fusiliers; a brass British General Service button; two brass Prussian buttons of different sizes; a brass Turkish officer's button made by J Compton & Sons, London; a brass Canadian army button, also made in England; and a German national black, white and red enamelled metal cap cockade.

Associated with the service of 2142 Private John Thomas Bracey Elderfield who served in 23 Battalion, AIF, as a battalion runner. At the time of his enlistment at the age of 21, Elderfield was working as a barb machinist. He had already served in the Senior Cadets in Castlemaine, Victoria, and in 63 Infantry Regiment (The East Melbourne Regiment). After initial training Elderfield was assigned to the 4th Reinforcements of 23 Battalion. He sailed from Melbourne with his unit aboard the transport HMAT Hororata on 27 September 1915. Elderfield arrived too late to join his battalion on Gallipoli, and was only taken on strength when it returned to Egypt in January 1916.

In March the battalion moved to France and by April occupied forward trenches in the Armentieres sector. Its first major battles came later in 1916, at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. Although the battalion suffered heavy casualties Elderfield survived unscathed. In November, while in reserve trenches at Factory Corner, north east of Flers, Elderfield was among those gassed when a barrage of German gas shells fell on the battalion at 5.30 pm. He was evacuated to hospital in England and returned to France in March 1917. After training he rejoined his battalion at the beginning of May, in time to take part in the second battle of Bullecourt.

Elderfield was promoted to lance corporal after the battle to secure Broodseinde Ridge in Belgium, in October 1917. A month later he was wounded on the front line near Halfway house at Dickebusch. When he returned to the battalion at the end of the year he reverted to the rank of private at his own request. In April 1918 the battalion took part in actions that halted the German spring offensive. Elderfield fought at Hamel in July before being wounded for the third time when he was gassed while the battalion was in reserve at Craft Trench, south east of Villers Bretonneux. Evacuated to hospital, he rejoined the battalion on 2 September in time to take part in its final action of the war, at Beaurevoir on 3 to 4 October. Elderfield returned to Australia in May 1919 and was discharged on 24 August of that year.