Shown here are images from the exhibit "In the Discharge of his Duty: Weapons, Ammunition, and Military Equipment," now on display inside the Special Collections Research Center on the first floor of Swem Library at the College of William & Mary. The exhibit will be on display from October 19, 2011 through April 9, 2012.
The following are transcripts of the label text presented in this case:
World War I
1914-1918
Dog tags
These dog tags were worn by Channing M. Hall,
brother of Admiral John Lesslie Hall, Jr., during World War I.
Manuscripts Artifact Collection, Mss 1.03
Mss.90H14
Helmet, helmet bag, and diary
Helmet and embroidered helmet bag of Jefferson H. Clark, a field surgeon during World War I. In addition
to writings about his daily activities, Clark’s diary
contains diagrams of weapons, the meaning of
different flag combinations, and other information useful to a soldier.
Jefferson H. Clark Collection, Mss. 2009.191
Surgeon’s tools
Surgical tools of Jefferson H. Clark, a field surgeon during World War I. In his papers, Clark describes the treatment of gas gangrene, including tests of an
unidentified serum. Diseases such as epidemic typhus and the 1918 influenza pandemic caused over one third of the total number of casualties from that war.
Jefferson H. Clark Collection, Mss. 2009.191
Trench whistle and lighter
World War I was primarily conducted through trench warfare. The trench whistle was used to coordinate large scale attacks: at the appropriate time, officers would blow their whistles and the soldiers would repeat. On that signal, the soldiers would leave their trenches and attack. The naphtha fueled trench lighter would allow them to see while moving through the dark trench.
Manuscripts Artifact Collection, Mss 1.03
Mss.90H14
From the Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary. See
swem.wm.edu/scrc/ for further information and assistance.
