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Souvenirs, Medals etc...

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Trench art from WW1 - side view of an ashtray from Arras.
Trench art from WW1 - side view of an ashtray from Arras.
Photo: Rev David Long
Views: 1,308
Item #: 7951
The three bullet cases used to support the ashtray.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 25th March 2024 at 09:09

I saw something about trench art on the TV yesterday - which led me to look again at this item, and at information about trench art. I learned that most 'trench art' was not made by the men in the trenches at all. Some was made in army workshops behind the lines, some by civilians in the battle areas - but most was commercially made - much of it post-war, to satisfy demand from home-bound Tommies for a souvenir of their time at war.
I think this item falls into the latter category - having found examples online of ashtrays of very similar design for other famous wartime sites - Verdun and Albert, on the Somme.

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