WAR TROPHIES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 138, 7 March 1921, Page 5

WAR TROPHIES

A WONDERFUL ARRAY WHAT THE NATIONS FOUGHT WITH An. outstanding feature of the Community Club Carnival at the Town Hall is the interesting collection of war trophies, which axe displayed in the western corridor upstairs. The war has been over now for two years, but this collection brings its horrors and thrills back afresh, and reminds one of the enormous inventive force that was brought into play for the sole purpose of destroying life and property. The trophies, which have been brought in from store at Trentham, are a selection of those which will later on find, a place in the National War Museum. One of the first objects which strikes the eye is a floating mine, with its horns dismantled so as to give an idea of its infernal mechanism. This will be interesting to those who have been mined or have missed that violent experience. That big iron globe, standing about 3ft. 6in-. from the tiles, looks plump and peaceful enough in its present abode. On adjacent benches which follow the sweep of the corridor are pretty complete collection of German and Austrian helmets, shoulder badges (officers and men), an ugly lot of raiding clubs that would have made the oavo men of prehistoric times ashamed. Then there is an arrangement of German swords with elaborate hilts, and all forms of blades. One exhibit that fascinates is the display of German field’ ambulance material—ersatz cotton wool made of medicated wood-pulp, and neat bandages also made of spun wood-pulp—quite strong and effective for the purpose. There are also complete ambulance kits and fitted boxes. One curious exhibit is the Draeger outfit for treating gas-pois-oned men. All the various make. Aof Teuton machine-guns, mortars, bombs, a “flamenwerfer” (or flame-thrower), gas helmets, and mortars. “Very” light pistols, etc., are shown. There is a rare lot of Turkish and Arabian, trophies, from the primitive old long-barrelled muzzle-loaders of a couple of centuries ago and eighteenth-century pistols to up-to-date Mauser and Mannlicher rifles. The' saddles used by the Bedouins are quaint seat-packs of very primitive structure. Amman contributes some interesting brass name-plates from ■ Turkish locomotives; there is Turkish head-gear from the fez to the Astrachantrimmed officer’s shakos; there is salt ■ from the Dead Sea; there is a Goerz. periscope and wind-gauge; paper balloons that were used for, determining the direction of the wind at different altitudes; nasty-looking kukries (Ghurka) from India/and Teuton helmets with the infamous "skull and crossbones” of the Crown Prince’s Regiment. Above the skull and orossbones is inscribed, "Mit, Gott, fur Konig und Vaterland” (withGod for King and Fatherland). The range of British arms and fighting appliances is very complete— from a> 6301 b. aerial torpedo (shell) to the delicate but deadly Mills bomb, which was easily superior to the German pineapple bomb. - . , , In. the British section is an interesting exhibit of ancient British arms (from, the Tower of London), including armour, swords, brassets, spears, blunderbusses, etc., and right opposite stand a grim array of aerial torpedoes and shells, which indicate at a glance the "now” and "then” of the war game. Not the least interesting part of thia exhibition are the flags and standards, on the walls, and the amazingly fine net' of enlarged photographs, which will rey mind ex-diggers of many of the planctjl they knew quite as familiarly a f<*®v years ago as they do Lambton Quay to, 4 day- ■ _ _■