Museum Artefacts

Artefact of the Week: WWI Surgical Kit

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

This week’s museum artefact is a World War I surgical kit. Surgical equipment is not normally for the squeamish, and a recent donation to the National Army Museum is no exception.

The World War I era’s surgeon’s kit includes items such as bone saws and a hand held trephine – an implement used to drill people’s skulls.

These items were the life saving tools of the trade for 3/2920 Captain Martin Tweed, a doctor who served with the New Zealand Medical Corps in Field Ambulances and the No. 2 New Zealand General Hospital. Tweed joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1916 in London, where he had been studying medicine.

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Artefact of the Week: Sword & Scabbard

Tuesday, March 26th, 2013

This week’s museum artefact is a 1822 Pattern Cavalry sword & scabbard currently on display as part of the “Harnessed: New Zealand’s War Horses” exhibition. This sword & scabbard belonged to Colonel Thomas William Porter. Colonel Porter had a distinguished military career. He served in the New Zealand Wars, both in Imperial and Militia units; he served in the Anglo-Boer War (South Africa) and commanded the 7th and 9th New Zealand Contingents; and in May 1902, he took up command of the New Zealand Contingent that represented the New Zealand forces at the Coronation of King Edward VII. It was at this time, that the horse Major travelled with him and would eventually make its way back to New Zealand as the only horse to return home from the Anglo Boer War.

Colonel Porter held other important military and administrative positions leading up to and including WWI and died in Wellington on 12 November 1920.

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Artefact of the Week: Horse Tail

Saturday, February 23rd, 2013

This week’s museum artefact is a horse tail from the Sinai Palestine Campaign in World War I. The mounted kiwi soldiers who fought in that campaign shared the hardships and danger with their horses and became extremely close to them. Sadly when they returned the kiwis were not allowed to bring their horses, and rather than see them mistreated once they left, many chose to shoot them. This tail is almost certainly a reminder of a beloved horse who was tragically left behind when the war was won.

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Artefact of the Week: POW Camp Cooker

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Last week we profiled a POW camp air blower which we believed was used to ventilate escape tunnels, and there were some designed specifically for this purpose (Click here). However, thanks to the research of one of our dedicated staff members, we have now discovered that this one pictured was in fact a hand cranked air blower used for heating up food and ‘boiling the billy’ in a POW camp during World War II.

According to the article ‘Cooking Behind Barbed Wire: The Evolution of Prison Camp Cookers’ these gadgets were made from the bits and pieces they found in their camps and there were many different modifications. With a shortage of fuel and a desire to heat up the tin meat in the Red Cross parcels they became an important piece of kit. ‘Blower’ races were also popular in some camps who competed to see who could ignite and boil the billy the quickest.

 

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Artefact of the Week: POW Air Blower

Friday, February 1st, 2013

This week’s museum artefact is a hand cranked air blower and was recently on display as part of our Peek at the Peculiar  exhibition. It was used in World War II as a way to ventilate Prisoner of War escape tunnels. Many New Zealand soldiers were captured during the war, especially in the early stages, and they ended up imprisoned in camps. Tunnelling under the barbed wire fences was one way of escape and this is where a blower was essential; keeping the air fresh for men working hard burrowing underground.

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Artefact of the Week: Christmas Bowl

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

This week’s museum artefact is a brass bowl. This bowl is a link back to New Zealand’s first Christmas following the battle of Gallipoli. The object is inscribed ‘New Zealand General Hospital Cairo Xmas 1915′, which means it was made just after the Kiwi troops had evacuated Gallipoli following the terrible campaign there.

The New Zealand General Hospital near Cairo cared not only for battle casualties but also for the scores of men who were sick from disease and illness. The hospital was only designed to accommodate 250 patients but ended up housing 650. No doubt the efforts of the doctors and nurses at the hospital were a Godsend to the poor soldiers who found themselves there.

Interestingly the National Army Museum has a number of such bowls in the collection, suggesting that they might have been a souvenir for the staff at the facility.

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Artefact of the Week: Christmas Wallet

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012

This week’s museum artefact is a wallet. Christmas is a traditional time of joy and laughter, and enjoying the company of family and friends. However, in December 1917 such qualities would have been in short supply as the horror of World War I dragged on.

This wallet was a Christmas gift from the YMCA to New Zealand soldier Donald Cottle who was fighting as an infantryman on the Western Front. It is printed with the image of a Kiwi and the words ‘In the field, France, Xmas 1917′. The New Zealand Division on the Western Front had just endured the disastrous Battle of Passchendeale which claimed the lives of hundreds of men – 1917′s Christmas would have seen many grieving families. Tragically 1917′s Christmas was to be Donald Cottle’s last; he was killed in action at La Cateau, France, in October 1918.

Thoughts turn to our soldiers currently separated from family and friends, and the hope that they will be safe and comforted by the knowledge their sacrifices are appreciated during this very special time of the year.

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Artefact of the Week: Boer War Slouch Hat

Thursday, November 22nd, 2012

This week’s museum artefact is a Boer War slouch hat which belonged to Frederick Wyatt Francis. This type of wide brimmed felt hat was commonly worn by British Empire Forces during the Second Boer War.

Major Frederick Francis commanded two squadrons of the 4th New Zealand Mounted Rifles Contingent to South Africa in March 1900. He led his troops in Rhodesia but suffered from enteric fever and ended up in Mafeking hospital before being invalided to England in October 1900. Whilst in hospital in England Francis was visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Edward and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. (more…)

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Artefact of the Week: Pattern Wheeled Carrier

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

This week’s museum artefact is a New Zealand Pattern Wheeled Carrier which were used in World War II by the Home Guard and later in the Korean War. These Indian designed carriers were based on a four wheel drive Ford chassis and were built in the New Zealand Railways Hutt Valley workshops during the latter part of World War II. Although they were produced too late for service in that war, at least two vehicles served with 16th Field Regiment during the Korean War of 1950-53. They were never particularly satisfactory and were withdrawn from service in 1956. (more…)

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Artefact of the Week: Iraqi Most Wanted Playing Cards

Tuesday, November 6th, 2012

This week’s museum artefact is a pack of ‘Iraqi Most Wanted’ playing cards. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq playing cards like these were used as a novel way to hunt for people wanted by the US forces. Each card in the pack features a soldier or official from Sadam Hussein’s Iraqi regime, with Hussein himself featuring on the Ace of Spades. The idea behind the pack was that soldiers passing the time playing cards would become familiar with the wanted individuals and easily identify them should they come across them during operations.

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