What was the Official attitude to Trench Art?

[dycer]

I have a Trench Art Matchbox,which was made during the War(1917) comprising a piece of Brass,Pioneer Collar Dog and a Button.

Presumably the Soldier,who commissioned it,ran the risk of feeling the wrath of his Superiors for losing a Collar Dog and Button but would have used the old excuse "Lost in the Line,Sir"

Whilst I doubt the amount of Brass used to make Trench Art diverted vast number of spent Shell Cases which could have been recycled and used for the War effort.We are aware that strenuous attempts were made to recover recyclable material from the Battlefields.

In Official Circles,was Trench Art frowned upon or tolerated for the pleasure it gave to the men?

George

[geraint]

Most of this stuff was, as you say, commissioned work made by pioneers in their workshops behind the line. Not many squaddies worked on intricate machined art huddled in funkholes under shell fire. The level of technology needed for a man to form such an item was beyond the ordinary Tommy. The use of pioneer workshops for private work was "a turn a blind eye" event for the officers. I quote the Adjutant of the 4th RWF Pioneers "The battalion workshops having narrowly avoided direct fire, continued to provide the men with their amusment as they prepared Christmas presents from intricately turned out brassware from spent debris of war. Family and loved ones looked forwards immensly to these little mementos." (November 1917)

I'm presuming that he's refering to trench art!

[Dragon]

George, do you know who made it? Was it someone on active service, or a prisoner of war, or someone recuperating in hospital? Was it made by a civilian? Or maybe even by a German soldier? Much art was made behind the lines, sometimes because those people had access to the equipment for fashioning metal: blacksmiths, engineers; sometimes because the people had time on their hands. Not all trench art is metal, though; for example, some is wood or animal bone, or even textiles or paper. Some could be more easily made in the war zone: for example, personal ornaments such as rings from bits of scrap.

In "Trench Art: Materialities and Memories of War", Nicholas Saunders says that using expended shells was technically theft of government property and illegal. (This is one reason the work is often not signed.)

If you haven't read this book, I'm happy to scan some interesting pages for you and either email or post copies to you. I found it a fascinating read. It's principally about the Great War material.

Incidentally, I'm not sure that pioneers is the right word. Soldiers and prisoners have been making trench art, or soldier art, since the Greeks; there are examples of art in timber from the Spanish Armada and lots of stuff from the Napoleonic and nineteenth century wars.

Gwyn

[1690philip]

Seen the most unique bit of trench art on Saturday at the Somme Hertiage centre in Conlig. Two Ladies followed our tour around the centre and at the end an elderly woman produced a rim of a shell with a coat of arms of Verdun in which her father brought back from the war. A very touching monent.

Regards,

Phil

[geraint]

Gwyn

The piece described by George, the original poster is too difficult to construct by an ordinary soldier. Braizing bits of brass together is a workshop job. Now etching on to wood, brass or iron is something simpler that could easily be done by a man in a trench, ship, prison, etc using simple tools. There's quite a difference in the technical expertise and equipment needed. The pioneers were the only battalion with that capacity in a division, whose workshops carried metal forgeing, braizing and welding equiupment necessary to create such items.

French civilian blacksmiths were also involved in this lucrative trade, but as it's a question on official military views, then the Adjutant has probably said what theTop Brass felt. No pun intended!

[Dragon]

I asked George whether he knew the biography of his particular piece. What I said doesn't preclude its creation by someone who had expertise in metals and access to any necessary equipment.

The attitude of officials may well have varied depending on the circumstances of the soldier artist: for example, men recuperating from injury, mental or physical, were encouraged to carry out therapeutic activities including art-making. A civilian may have made such a piece of memorabilia. Other men with time to spare were known by their superiors to be making souvenirs to supplement their wages.

The use of 'pioneers' in the small case suggests a group who were the first to do something, and I was observing that soldiers have made memorabilia out of war materials for centuries.

Gwyn

[dycer]

Gwyn,

Unfortunately I cannot post photos of the Matchbox Cover on the Forum,but if you wish to see photos,you will see find them in the Your Photographs segment of the Photo Gallery Section in John Duncan's website-Newbattle at War.

It was either made for or,or by a Sgt in the 8th Royal Scots,which was the Pioneer Battalion to the 51st(Highland)Division.

I can also date it with some accuracy as on the reverse is an engraved scroll listing the Battalion's Engagements,starting at Neuve-Chappelle and ending at Ypres.Again if you access John's web-site you will find a copy of the Battalion History(it is password protected).In the History you will find a list of the Battalion's Engagements which follows exactly those listed on the Matchbox Cover.

The Sgt was my Uncle and he served continuously with the Battalion,in the field,from November 1914 until his death in March 1918.Whether he made or commissioned it I do not know.I would suggest commissioned as he was a Postman pre-War and the Battalion Machine Gun Sgt throughout.I am uncertain if he sent it home for Christmas 1917,or was on Home Leave,that Autumn/Winter.The Matchbox Cover has always been part of the furniture in my life so I assume it was originally given to my Grandfather and subsequently my Father inherited it.

In my youth it sat on the Fireplace and was used daily to light the coal fire.It now sits in my hearth,but only for display purposes.

As an aside I also possess two matching Brass Bowls,again I assume acquired by my Uncle.Neither contains markings to suggest they were made from the base of shell cases but both have "China" engraved on their bases.I would suggest they were made in the same period i.e. 1917 by a Member of the Chinese Labour Corps and my Uncle bought them,whilst on local leave behind the Line,as there is no mention in the Battalion War Diary of it coming into contact with the Chinese.Again in my youth they sat on the Fireplace,and used as ashtrays,although now contain pot pourri.

George

[Dragon]

Nicholas Saunders' book (ibid) mentions research by a third party who found that the Chinese Labour Corps "made it their business to find out which regiments were in the area, proceded to 'acquire' the appropriate badges and buttons which they then used to decorate trench art items which were sold as souvenirs to men of these same regiments". (p 41)

The Chinese also produced trench art during the time they remained in Europe helping to clear the battlefields and bury the dead. It was sold to pilgrims, tourists, civilians, military personnel and CWGC staff. (Op cit p 44)

My own piece of trench art, which wasn't made in a trench, is a metal Beaufighter made by my dad in Iraq during WW2 while in the RAF.

Gwyn

[dycer]

Gwyn,

Neither of the Bowls contain Badges or Buttons.

They are engraved and I am tempted to take them to the local Chinese to ask if the engravings have any significance.However, I am mindful they may contain a rude message.

Small World.My late Father-in-Law was also stationed in Iraq,with the RAF during WW2.His Trench Art,however was the ability to make drinking vessels out of glass bottles.Unfortunately none survive.I seem to recall the method was to fill the bottle to the appropriate level with oil and then knock the top off.

George

[Dragon]

I wasn't analysing your bowls, just adding a bit of information. I have the impression that the Chinese were quite versatile and made items other than out of regimental bits and pieces.

(Small world indeed. I have all my dad's photos from Iraq (and Israel, Egypt and others). He was a good photographer and there are hundreds! When the second Iraqi war started and parts of Iraq were obliterated, I created a CD of the photos to distribute among Iraqi friends and contacts as a gesture.)

Gwyn

[dycer]

I appreciate you were not analysing the bowls,Gwyn.

I probably knew the answer to the original question before I asked it i.e. purloining recyclable War Material for unofficial trade purposes was frowned upon but a blind eye was turned to the practise.

I suppose one of the Forum Boffins could examine the type of brass used in the Matchbox and bowls and from their thickness determine whether they were made from shell cases or a sheet of brass.

I would suggest,as a layman in metalwork engraving,that the Matchbox is more likely to have been etched by a native English speaker.I do wonder how easy it would have been for a native Chinese speaker to have copied accurately the names of French Towns,areas.I accept my Uncle could have prepared a template for the engraver to follow but both suggestions clearly supports the argument that the term "Trench Art" is a misnomer.As their construction would have been impossible by a man serving in the Front Line and they must have been made in the rear areas,although as Geraint has highlighted,from his War Diary quote, not in completely safe areas.

Few photographs survive of my Father-in-Law's time in the Middle East.But then again the RAF were as fickle as normal, posting a red-haired,fair skinned man to one of the hottest parts of the World.

George