ASH TRAY - TRENCH ART 40M SHELL

Ashtrays made from the ends of used World War II 40mm shells. The shells are most likely from a Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun Mark 4. The gun was developed in Sweden by AB Bofors in 1930 and sold on the international market in 1932. The weapon was used by allied forces in World War II.
These ashtrays were acquired by Gordon Deveraux during or just after World War II. Gordon was a chain smoker, a habit his family say he picked up when serving with the AIF in World War One. It was during this time he learnt to roll his own cigarettes, a habit he never gave up. His daughter Jan remembers her father rolling one cigarette, while smoking one made earlier and having another ready to go behind his ear. When Gordon went into the front living room to read the paper or listen to the wireless his wife Ellie would run into the and place some old newspaper or cloth under these ashtrays which moved around the house with Gordon as he chain smoked. Gordon died in January 1970, age 80 at the Home of Peace in Subiaco.
Gordon Devereux was born in the town of Beccles in Suffolk England in 1890 to parents Edward and Maria. He had a twin brother, Stanley, two other brothers and one sister. Gordon after leaving school completed a five year apprenticeship with the Master Painter Mr S.A. Pole and worked near his home town as a painter. In 1911 Gordon, his aunt and a half-brother migrated to Western Australia aboard the Rangatira.
Soon Gordon was living and working in Harvey, briefly cleaning land before taking up his profession as a painter. This came to an end in 1915 when he went to enlist to serve in World War One. Though on 5 May 1915 Gordon wrote to the West Australian newspaper complaining how after being medically cleared to enlist by the doctor in Harvey, he had sold all of his painting materials only to be rejected by the doctors at Blackboy camp. Gordon would eventually be declared medically fit and serve in the AIF.
It was during the war, while serving for the Australian Army Service Corp that he suffered a hernia and was sent to England for surgery. During his recovery in London he met Eleanor 'Ellie' Maud Young a nursemaid to an elderly lady and on 21 March 1918 they were married.
In 1920 Gordon, Ellie and their new daughter Joan returned to Western Australia and moved to Armadale. In 1925 they purchased a block of land on the corner of Church Avenue and Third Road and built their family home. During this time Gordon acquired the rights to show silent films at the Armadale Mechanics Institute Hall and in Gosnells. Gordon would operate the projector while Ellie or another ladies employed by Gordon would play the accompanying music on a piano. By 1927 though Gordon was no longer posting advertising for his film shows. It is possible that he either sold the business, was outbid for the rights to show the films or lost the business due to the Great Depression. By 1930 Gordon was out of work and on a government sustenance program.
Tragedy would strike the family in 1942 when their son Eric 'Ricky' Devereux was killed when the HMAS Sydney II was lost at sea following a sea battle with the German ship the Kormoran. Sadly for Gordon and Ellie they would never find out what truly happened to their son as the wreck of the HMAS Sydney was not found until 2008.
Gordon and Ellie strongly believed in giving back to the community. Gordon was a member of the Returned Servicemen's League - Armadale Branch for over 50 years, serving as honorary secretary between 1921 and 1923 and later President. In 1926 he was the inaugural president of the newly formed Armadale Soccer Club ho played in the Second Division and won the title the following season. Gordon served on the Armadale-Kelmscott Co-Op committee for approximately 25 years. During the Depression, even though Gordon was unemployed for periods during this time he and Ellie were involved with the local Unemployment Committee, helping to raise and distribute funds to families in need. During World War II he and Ellie joined the Armadale District Welfare Committee who raised money to purchase simple 'luxury' items such as soap, scarf, cigarettes or chocolate for Australian troops both serving or who were prisoners of war. In 1946 Gordon and Ellie became involved in raising money for the purchase of Sister Whitehead's private hospital on Church Avenue. The committee purchased the hospital and then reformed to become the Board of Management for the Armadale-Kelmscott Memorial Hospital.
Gordon officially retired in the 1960s and spent the next 20 years spending time with Ellie, time in his garden, time with his grandchildren, playing bowls and catching up with mates at the Armadale RSL. Not long after his 80th birthday in 1970 Gordon passed away. Ellie would continue to live in the family home up to 1986 when she passed away.