N° d'objet
200408.6.6
Titre
Artillery Shell Cigarette Case
Créateur
Description
A brass 75mm light artillery shell case made into a cigarette case. Given to Major J.F.C. Reilly by Italian POWs at Asmara Genio Workshop. This was where 16 Workshop and Plant Coy Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners worked with Italian POWs after the surrender of Italian Eats Africa. J.F.C. Reilly joined the army in 1920, attended the RMA at Woolwich and was afterwards posted to 56 Field Company. He ended his career as a Lt Col after seeing service in China, India and East Africa. There is a full history of the object contained within it. The object itself is inscribed 'MAJOR JFC REILLY RE RICORDO OFFICINA GENIO'.
There is a note with the case that reads:-
"This brass cigarette 'box' made out of Italian shell** cases by Italian prioners-of-war working for the British Indian Army Engineers workshop company in Asmara, Eritrea, was presented to the company commander by the Italians when he was posted back to India in October 1941.
The officer was Major J F C Reilly, RE, who had formed 16 (Independant) Workshop and Plant Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, in Bangalore in 1940. The company had deployed from Bangalore to Sudan and then Eritrea together with 5th Indian Division to reinforce the forces available to conduct the campaign in October 1940.
After the defeat of the large Italian garrison the workshop component of the compant set itself in the 'Genio Workshop***', the Italian Army Workshop in Asmara, and took control of the Italian Army workforce, all of whom volunteered to work for 16 Company, using the captured 'in place' Italian workshop machinery.
** 75mm light artillery
***'Genio' - the workshop established in what appears to have been a garrison barrack area called "Magazzino del Genio"
The inscription: "Ricordo Officina Genio" translates as: 'A souvenir of the Genio Workshop'"
Période de création
World War Two, 1939-1945
Matériel
Dimensions
- Diameter: 83 mm
- Width: 90 mm