Gallery Decant – Part 5

Deinstalling the Worcestershire Soldier Gallery…

All throughout the life of the Worcestershire Regiment, soldiers have collected and created personal souvenirs which represent a time and a place of service. The mementos and souvenirs held in the museum’s collection shed light on the mindset of our soldiers whilst on active service and the places/events they saw and experienced.

More extravagant and elaborate souvenirs have also been gifted to the Regiment by the peoples they encountered. This can be a gift given in thanks of services rendered, or as a reminder of a town or country where the Worcesters’ were garrisoned.

Soldiers of the Worcestershire Regiment also left gifts or made presentations to their battalion on discharge or retirement from the army, indicating their feelings towards their service.

Collected…

One distinct souvenir from the museum’s collections is an intricately carved Ostrich Egg, brought back from service in Palestine c.1938. In September 1938, the 1st Battalion received orders to move to Palestine to reinforce an existing garrison against the Arab Revolt, which had been simmering for some time and recently reached serious proportions. Immediately on arrival, the battalion was given the task of “maintaining public order and security in Bethlehem and Hebron sub-districts” and commenced operations against the rebels.

The pictures sculpted into the souvenir egg represent The Last Supper, the Church of the Nativity, St. George and the Dragon, and the badge of the Worcestershire Regiment.

Gifted…

A beautiful and intricate object which the Worcestershire Regiment received as a generous gift in return for their brave service is known as the Burmese Pot.

Post VE Day the 7th and 2nd Battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment continued to serve heroically in India fighting back the Japanese as they pushed into Burma. In January 1945 both battalions, having spent most of their active service apart, converged on the village of Schwebo clearing it of Japanese troops. As a sincere thank you for the 7th Battalion’s actions and the liberation of Schwebo, the villagers presented them with the Burmese Pot.

This ornate ceramic pot, painted in a vibrant red paint, boasts elaborate scene depictions using black and brown detailing. Reminiscent of Greek amphora techniques. Due to its fabric and age, the Burmese pot was very delicate to remove and store and required a heavy amount of plastazote to secure the object safely. However, removing the pot gave our team the perfect opportunity to view and photograph it completely.

Crafted…

Ceremonial souvenirs collected by a battalion went alongside more sentimental souvenirs belonging to individual soldiers.

Removed from the existing gallery alongside the Ostrich Egg was an unofficial mug made from a plastic mortar round container of dark green plastic with an orange and black explosives warning label attached. This mug belonged to a soldier in the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment and reflects the practice of soldiers in the regiment of crafting and collecting personal mementos whilst on active service. For whatever reason, perhaps after losing his army issued equipment or in a moment of jest, ingenuity led this soldier to recreate a drinking mug from the materials around him.

Another example of the Worcesters’ personal mementos is two model GWR Locomotives made by Captain J.S. Vaughan while he was a Prisoner of War in Oflag VIIB POW Camp, Germany between 1940-1945. The camp was liberated by the U.S. army in April 1945, but Captain Vaughan’s objects highlights the craftwork some officers and soldiers used to pass the time in prison camps. Traditionally, Officers were held separately from Other Ranks in POW Camps and received different treatment. Oflag, short for ‘Offizierenlager’, was the camp for Officers, whilst Stalag (‘stammlager’) was the camp for non-commissioned personnel.

From letters and photographs in the museum’s collection, it would seem that Officers had more free-time than the non-commissioned Other Ranks who were often used for forced labour.

Souvenirs such as the Ostrich Egg, Mortar Cup and The Burmese Pot, were documented and secured in a storage box alongside pieces of the Worcestershire Soldier Gallery removed in parts 1-4 of the gallery decant. With our final timelapse video to go, be sure to look at Gallery Decant – Part 6 for insight into uniforms and textiles…