WWI trench watch presented to Leonard Charles Lovegrove

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George Stockwell

1915

Overview

Swiss made, silver cased, sidewinder trench watch presented to Leonard Charles Lovegrove on the day he enlisted for the First World War by fellow Officers of the P.W.D. (Public Works Department) of W.A. (Western Australia).
The circular, white, vitreous enamel dial has skeleton Arabic numerals and skeleton hands called “poire squelette” to take radium based luminous paint.
The inside of the case has a variety of sterling silver import marks, including the maker's mark (GS), sterling silver mark (.925), the inverted Zodiac symbol of Leo, the year mark (1915), and a serial number (107843).
The workings of the watch have 'Made in Switzerland' engraved on the surface.
It would have had a leather strap which was threaded through the two lugs on either side.

Historical information

Leonard Charles Lovegrove was a draftsman aged 31 when he enlisted with the 6th Reinforcement, 51st Battalion, AIF on 19 June 1916. His service number was 2671.
He embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on 10 October 1916. He served in France but spent quite some time in hospital in England.
After the war ended, he transferred to A.I.F. Headquarters where he worked until February 1920.
He returned to Australia on HMAT A40 Ceramic, disembarking in Fremantle on 18 April 1920.

The First World War began as a war of movement, with the opposite sides trying to outflank each other during late 1914 in the so-called “race to the sea”. Once the coast was reached in Northern France and there was no possibility of either side outmanoeuvring the other, it changed into a static war as the opposing sides dug into trenches. In the trenches activity continued day and night, and attacks were generally started in the early morning darkness to take the other side by surprise. It quickly became apparent that a luminous dial was a necessity for an officer's wristwatch in the dark confines of the trenches, and a luminous dial became an essential feature of a trench watch.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00071

Item type

Collectibles

Personal Effects

Watches

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Enamels

Metal

Silver

Width

35 mm

Height or length

40 mm

Inscriptions and markings

On back of watch:

"To
L.C. LOVEGROVE
From
Fellow Officers of
P.W.D., W.A.
19.6.16"

"GS" indicates that the case was imported by Stockwell & Co (George Stockwell)
The Zodiac symbol of Leo indicates that the item was imported, assayed and hallmarked in the London Assay Office, distinguishing it from native British silver items that continued to be stamped with the leopard's head. The symbol was at first struck upside down and this wasn't corrected until 1950.
"u" indicates the year 1915
"107843" is the serial number of this particular watch

Keywords

Wrist Watch

Military

First World War

Australian Imperial Force

Place made

United Kingdom

Year

1915

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance