Wooden Wind Indicator

Place Europe: France, Picardie, Somme
Accession Number RELAWM00527
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Heraldry
Physical description Ceramic, Metal, Wood
Place made Western Front
Date made c 1916
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Weather vane made from three pieces of wood in the shape of a toy biplane. Two shorter pieces, representing the wings, are nailed above and below a longer piece, representing the fuselage. The 'wings' can move freely with the wind. One third of the way down the central piece is a white ceramic handle attached loosely with a 20 millimeter nail. Nailed to the top of the centre piece is a small piece of irregularly shaped tin 'propeller'.

History / Summary

German First World War wind vane designed to predict the wind direction for a gas attack. This was found in German trenches at the Somme.