Tonette

A black coloured plastic whistle or Tonette instrument, with curved, removable mouth piece and tapered tubular body with finger holes or air outlets. The body of the Tonette has two large outlets and eight smaller, to vary the tone or notes that can be emitted from the instrument. The manufacturers stamp is on the upper side of the body below the mouth piece in raised lettering, 'THE SWANSON TONETTE MADE IN THE U.S.A. TRADE MARK REG.U.S.PAT.OFF', with a patent number on the underside, 'U.S.PATENT D 112623 OTHER PATENT PENDING'. The Tonette originally had a shiny surface, which is now dulled over time and with use.

Corporal (Cpl) Horace Auber Prowse VX48775 was born 15 July 1907 in Invernell New South Wales, son of George and Annie Morcom, and sister to Lillian Chitty (nee Morcom). Prowse enlisted with 2/23 Battalion AIF on 19 August 1940, which embarked on Her Majesty’s Transport Strathmore and saw service as Battalion stretcher bearer at El Alamein, in the Middle East and New Guinea. Cpl Prowse was a musician who performed in concerts, parties and bands on his Tonette instrument and was described as exhibiting great courage when required. During a period of considerable enemy fire at the base head quarters of ‘C’ Company, New Guinea, Cpl Prowse was killed in action by mortar fire and was buried by company members. Cpl Prowse is identified on Memorial Panel 51.