#1st world war
DEATH PENNY / Memorial Plaque
Death Pennies were issued to the next of kin of every British and Empire soldier killed as a result of conflict. They were made of bronze. The design was picked as a result of a public competition and the winner was Edward Carter Preston. The name of the deceased soldier is on the plaque (in this case Joseph Arthur Challis) but with no rank. Around 600 were issued to commemorate women.
Also known as a “Dead Man’s Penny” approximately 1,355,000 plaques were issued, which used a total of 450 tonnes of bronze.
The plaque pictured above is part of the Handling Collection at the Highlanders’ Museum and it measures about 5 inches (120 mm) in diameter
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Image 1: Beaumont Hamel - Battle of the Somme. This image was provided by Dave Chapman, Research and Volunteer Coordinator at the museum in response to our battlefield mural below it. He took this photograph on a battlefield tour and went on the tell me that the tree was used by both sides as a reference point for target indications during WW1.
Image 2: Battlefield mural created by Ardesier Primary School children as part of my Artist Residency
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