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From the collection of Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch

1002 Items featured online

Functional object - Letter Opener, Circa 1918

0402 Letter Opener 1

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Can you reuse this media without permission? Yes

Conditions of use

Public domain

This media item is listed as being within the public domain. As such, this item may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Lance McDermott

Have a question? Contact Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch

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0402 Letter Opener 2

Reuse this media

Can you reuse this media without permission? Yes

Conditions of use

Public domain

This media item is listed as being within the public domain. As such, this item may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Lance McDermott

Have a question? Contact Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch

Download
Download image (jpeg)
0402 Letter Opener 3

Reuse this media

Can you reuse this media without permission? Yes

Conditions of use

Public domain

This media item is listed as being within the public domain. As such, this item may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Lance McDermott

Have a question? Contact Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch

Download
Download image (jpeg)

Historical information

Made by Albert Henry Rogers who served in the British Army during WW1, the grandfather of the donor.

Significance

It was made as a symbol of hope as receiving letters from home gave them hope. Hence the bullet made into a letter opener is a symbol of something made to kill into something to give hope. (Transcribed from the donor's description)

Physical description

Small letter opener consisting of a handle made from a .303 bullet and a blade made from an unknown metal. The projectile has been split in half lengthways and the blade soldered in. The markings on the cartridge indicate that it is a Mk VII cartridge manufactured by the Royal Laboratory in 1917.

Inscriptions & markings

Both sides of the blade have decorative engraving on them. The left side has "ARRAS" engraved on it and the right side has "1918 YPRES" engraved on it. The base of the cartridge is marked R^L 17 and VII.