HomeMy WebLinkAboutBinkley Trench ArtTrench Art
Art and CollecƟbles from an
American Soldier
In World War I
A Cigar Box of Memories
World War I was characterized by trench warfare, and trench lines
tended to remain staƟonary for months at a Ɵme.
Going “over the top” to aƩack enemy lines protected by entrenched
machine guns was fuƟle. SƟcking one’s head above the trench was to
invite a sniper’s bullet.
As a result, soldiers spent endless hours hunkering down in the oŌen
wet and muddy trenches.
Those hours vacillated between sheer boredom
interspersed by the terror of arƟllery barrages.
To pass the Ɵme, soldiers collected memorabilia or
created art from the materials at hand.
This cigar box represents the collecƟon of one American
GI—Sargent Dean H. Binkley from Oklahoma who
served in the AEF.
The box contains a number of buƩons and uniform
insignia. Some of these were US—both army and navy,
but others were from other countries.
Making rings for wives and girlfriends back home appears
to have been popular. These might appear to have been
cut from a thin-walled cylinder, but they were not. A clue
to their origin comes from the leƩering on the inside of
the ring.
They were made by pressing in the rim of a French coin
to get the desired thickness, then pressing in the front
and back sides unƟl a ring was formed.
The incomplete ring is a French 25-cenƟme silver coin
dated 1905.
A German-made bracelet made from scrap materials was
also in the cigar box. It’s means of acquisiƟon by Sargent
Binkley is not recorded.
Jewelry and Medals
SƟck pins were popular at the turn of the century but
were not part of the GI uniform.
Various medals, military and otherwise were also kept.
LeƩers to and from home were important to the
American GI. Sgt. Binkley came prepared with a boƩle of
ink in a protecƟve case. While no leƩers were included,
two stamps found their way into the box.
LeƩer Openers made from wood or brass were popular
as well as funcƟonal art.
A sewing kit containing a needle and thread was a
necessity for repairs, reaƩaching buƩons, and sewing on
stripes.
Obviously a post-war souvenir from France,
this matchbox protector recorded Sgt.
Binkley’s participation.
Airplanes were a new invenƟon, and the box contained a
fragment from a downed aircraŌ.
Horses, mules, and donkeys were used for transporƟng
men and materials, and a small donkey shoe made it into
the cigar box.
Live ammuniƟon as well as spent cartridges were
included in addiƟon to bullets extracted from
ammuniƟon.
It is a simple cigar box filled with one person’s
memorabilia, but it tells us about a short period in his
life.
By Louis Hodges, October 2024