Trench art paper knife : Corporal G O C Blackett, 18 Battalion, AIF

Brass trench art paper knife cut in a single piece from a shell case, and then shaped to give a handle and curved blade. An engraved line, placed 2 mm from the outer edge, extends around the entire object. The centre of the blade is engraved 'SOUVENIR JEUMONT 1914-1919'.

Associated with the service of 1884 Corporal Oswald Campbell Blackett, an 28 year old miner from Scarborough, NSW. Blackett enlisted in the AIF on 21 June 1915. He had previously served as a cadet attached to the 37th (Illawarra) Infantry. After initial training in Australia Private Blackett sailed for overseas service aboard HMAT A54 Runic, on 9 August 1915, as a member of 20 Battalion 3rd reinforcements. However, when he landed on Gallipoli on 29 September he was immediately transferred to A Company, 18 Battalion, after 50 per cent of the battalion had become casualties in the attack on Hill 60 during the August offensive. He served with them for the rest of the war. On 19 October Blackett was evacuated to Malta suffering from rheumatism, rejoining his unit in Egypt in January 1916, after it had returned from Gallipoli. The battalion moved to France at the end of March 1916 and took part in the battle of Pozieres in July and August. At the beginning of 1917 Blackett was hospitalised with scabies, but returned to his battalion in time to take part in the second battle of Bullecourt in May, after which he was promoted to lance corporal. The battalion subsequently moved to Belgium to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. Blackett was awarded the Military Medal for his actions at Menin Road on 20/21 September 1917 during the advance on Hanebeke. Blackett was promoted to corporal shortly after the battle. At the beginning of the battle of Poelcappel, on 8 October, Blackett was evacuated suffering from hypothermia, but was able to rejoin his unit a few days later. Sent to attend training courses in England in the middle of 1918, Blackett missed the final battles of the war. He returned to Australia on 10 April 1919 and was discharged in July of that year. Blackett bought this trench art paper knife as a souvenir while he was waiting to be repatriated to Australia. His brother, Private James Colville Blackett, died of wounds he received on Dead Man's Ridge at Gallipoli, on 2 May 1915. Blackett served again in the Second World War, with the number NX9783, having been accepted for service after he 'lowered' his age by nine years.