Constance Mabel Keys collection

Photographs of Constance Keys' nursing training and employment at Brisbane General Hospital prior to her enlistment with the Australian Army Nursing Service.

Photographs taken at the time of Constance Keys' enlistment and embarkation on the troopship RMS Omrah in 1914.

Photographs of Constance Keys during her time at the Egyptian Army / British Military Hospital, Abbassia and the 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis in Egypt as a member of the Australian Army Nursing Service. The photographs include images of Keys on the hospital ship HMAT Themosticles en route to Australia and her return to Egypt on the transport ship HMAT Ulysses.

Photographs obtained by Constance Keys during the First World War. These photographs depict scenes from Gallipoli and the Dardanelles and were presumably given to Constance by soldiers whom she nursed.

Some of the images are inscribed by Captain Richard William Dewson of the Australian Army Service Corps, whose images also appear in related First World War collections OM78-70 David Gifford Croll papers and 29854 Marion Winifred Croll photographs held at the State Library of Queensland.

Photographs of Constance Keys' nursing service in Europe (primarily England, Belgium and France), including time spent 'up the line' as Sister-in-Charge of the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on the Western-Front, and service at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England, in 1919.

Photographs of Constance Keys after her return to Australia, having been formally discharged from the Australian Army Nursing Service on 17 February 1920. Two of the images show Constance on her wedding day in 1921.

Miscellaneous photographs of Constance Keys and other Australian nurses and soldiers during the First World War. One of the photographs is a studio portrait of Walter Byron James Pattison, of the 9th Infantry Battalion who died at Gallipoli in May 1915.

Allied fund-raising postcard featuring a copy of a work by Belgian artist, Maurice Wagemans, entitled "Heros", which depicts a group of wounded Belgian soldiers being helped along a road by their comrades.

Photographic postcard of German troops parading in the French town of Lille. Caption: "Parade auf dem grand' place in Lille"

Humorous postcard featuring a waving female figure between the text "Cheer O!" and "Bring us a 'elmet back!"

Photographic postcard depicting the mosque Khaibek (blue mosque), in Cairo, Egypt

Postcard featuring a photograph of an Egyptian man operating a shaduf on the Nile river.

"Vulamend" souvenir booklet from No. 2  Australian Stationary Hospital, recounting its involvement and work during the war (December 1914 to July 1919).

Inscriptions and markings have been made throughout the booklet by Constance Keys.  The publication contains sketches by Vernor Douglas 'Dug' Keys (service no. 8521) who was Constance Keys' younger brother who served with the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital in Egypt and Palestine, returning to Australia in June 1918.  A description of Vernor, marked by Constance, appears on page 26 of the booklet.

Coloured hand-drawn postcard of seven nurses having dinner. The sketch is signed by Verner Douglas Keys, younger brother of Sister Constance Keys.

Vernor Douglas Keys (service no. 8521) enlisted in Brisbane on 29 July 1915.  Before enlisting he was a clerk with the Queensland National Bank. Vernor (also Douglas) served with the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital in Egypt and Palestine, returning to Australia in June 1918.  The illustration is pasted on the front of a postcard imprinted on reverse 'Post Card Queensland Commonwealth of Australia'.  It possibly dates from before the First World War, when Constance was training at the Brisbane General Hospital.

The Christmas card features a coloured illustration of the ruins of Albert Cathedral in Albert, France, during the First World War, the statue was hit by a German shell in 1915.

The Nursing Staff "At Home" entertainment program.

Program for an evenings entertainment at the Brisbane Hospital, featuring the nursing staff during Constance Keys' nursing training in 1908. The program includes musical acts, pictures, the distribution of prizes, and a comedic play, written by 'a grateful patient'. Nurse Keys is featured in item 1, as one half of a Pianoforte Duet. 

Military tariff railways ticket or pass, Egypt.

Constance Keys' railway ticket, 1915, used during her time in Cairo and Heliopolis, Egypt. Inscribed: The Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company, 1915, ticket entitling holder to military tariff.

Supplement to the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (No. 49, 31 May 1915). The supplement contains photographs with captions of No. 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, Egypt, 1915. Constance Keys served at this hospital during this period.

The photographs include the exterior of the hospital in the Palace Hotel, Heliopolis, Egypt; a line of motor ambulances; a 160 bed ward for the wounded from Gallipoli; Injured Australian soldiers in Ward "F"; medical and nursing staff at the hospital; medical staff working in an operating theatre.

Two page transcription of a speech given to the troops of the 1st Australian Division by Sir George Reid, High Commissioner of Australia in Great Britain. The speech was given by Sir George on his visit to Mena camp, Egypt, in December of 1914. Constance attended the address. Item 30674/3-29 is a photo taken by Constance at the address. 

The menu features a coloured sketch of 'The Aberdeen Line TSS Miltiades' on the cover, and a dinner menu for Chirstmas day, 1915 on the reverse. Inside, the pamphlet lists the commander, officers, medical and nursing staff (including Constance Keys), chaplains and convalescents onboard the hospital ship, HMAT Themistocles for the Christmas Day celebrations. A number of signatures have also been inscribed inside the pamphlet.

On 4 December 1915 Sister Constance Keys joined the hospital ship, Themistocles, which was transporting wounded soldiers back to Australia. She returned to Egypt in March 1916.  

Booklet containing the poem 'Hymn Before Action' by Rudyard Kipling.  The poem was given to Nurse Constance Keys by Nurse Nita Frances Selwyn Smith, for Christmas 1916.  Nurse Selwyn Smith served with Constance Keys in the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbassia, Egypt. Nita has inscribed on the reverse cover, 'with love from N. F. Selwyn Smith, xmas. 1916'.

This edition of the poem is illuminated in colours and gold by Henrietta Wright and includes a key to the meaning of the symbols and emblems used in the illumination. Published by Methuen and Co. Ltd., London, ca. 1915. The poem "Hymn Before Action" was written by Rudyard Kipling in 1896 and takes the form of a prayer by troops to God and the Virgin Mary on the eve of battle.  Fragile condition.

A small, handmade invitation addressed to Nurse Keys for a fancy dress supper on Wednesday evening 4th September. The invitation, presented by 'the Cotagers,' features a cartoon drawing of a male figure with a cigar on the front, with 'smokers evening' written in the top righthand corner. 

Constance Keys' leave pass granted from 13 October 1919 to 27 October 1919. The pass, authorised on 4 October 1919, grants Constance leave in France and movement to Paris before the 27th October 1919. The reverse provides instructions for conduct whilst on leave. 

A printed and folded card, presented to Elizabeth King Robertson on the occassion of her 79th birthday, 27 May 1944. the card is from the people of Poland, and the reverse features a double column of signatures.

The address is written in both Polish and English.

Small illustrated certificate presented to the troops of the 9th Infantry Battalion, the Moreton Regiment, granting them freedom of the City of Brisbane in appreciation of their loyal services.

Annual reunion programs for the "Omrah" Association, 1960 to 1963. The annual reunions were held to commemorate those who sailed from Brisbane on the troopship Omrah on 24 September 1914 to serve in the Great War.  Constance Keys was one of the first nurses from Queensland to travel to Egypt on the Omrah on this date. The Omrah Association was formed to preserve the spirit of comradeship between the survivors and to remember those who had died. 

Lifetime membership card for the Omrah Association issued to Matron C.M. Pennefather (nee Keys). The association was founded for those who sailed to war on the RMS Omrah (A5), 24 September 1914, including Nurse Constance Mabel Keys. 

Newspaper report from The Brisbane Courier, 7 December 1921, p.11, of the marriage of Constance Keys and Gallipoli veteran, Lionel Hugh Kemp Pennefather at Galloway Hill, Norman Park, Brisbane, on 3 December 1921.

Papers which include a photocopy of a photograph from the Australian War Memorial and related information, as well as photocopies of photographs regarding the sinking of the German cruiser Emden 1914.

Constance Keys' personal diary written during her first 2 years serving in the First World War. The diary was a gift from her father on her embarkation aboard RMS Omrah in September 1914. She stopped writing soon after his death on 26 January 1916. The last two pages contain nursing notes written by Constance, along with a number of home addresses of those she met overseas.

The diary covers the journey on the troopship Omrah to Egypt; the surviving sailors and officers from the German battleship Emden coming on board the Omrah (16 November 1914); fancy dress parties on board the ship; being sent to Heliopolis to nurse at an Egyptian Hospital; farewelling the troops from the 9th Battalion and 2nd Light Horse before they leave for the Dardanelles; wounded arriving from Gallipoli; the death of Lieutenant Walter Byron James Pattison who was wounded at Gallipoli and died following a leg amputation; death of Archie Graham Mackay; death of Colin Morgan Reade at Gallipoli; travelling on hospital ship Themistocles back to Australia with wounded in December 1915; leave in Brisbane, the death of her father on 26 January 1916.

This small pocket diary was given to Constance Keys by her mother in January 1918. The diary recounts Constance's experience as Sister-in-Charge of the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, near the front lines in France and Belgium.

The diary covers her appointment as Acting Matron at the 3rd Australian General Hospital before being transferred as Sister-in-Charge at No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Steenwerck, France; being evacuated to St Omer due to shelling getting too close; leave in England and Scotland; returning to her unit in France; dealing with casualties, air raids, and moving the casualty clearing station to various positions near the front lines.

Field Service diary of Sister Constance Keys. The diary entries are entered in an official 'Army Book 152 Correspondence Book, (Field Service)'. The entries record the movement, activities and staffing of the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in France. Constance Keys was Sister-in-Charge of the unit.

The diary documents the period from Constance Keys' appointment as head sister of the No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station to February 1919 when she left for leave in France. The clearing station was in a continual state of movement as it shifted position to either avoid enemy fire or be closer to the front lines. The diary also documents the movements of the nursing staff.

Daily medical records kept by Sister Constance Keys while nursing on the transport ship Orvieto returning to Australia from England in November and December 1919. The records relate to mothers and babies returning to Australia, who were the dependants of Australian soldiers. The book also contains nursing lecture notes and three sets of loose sheets of lecture notes written by Constance Keys. The lectures were possibly given to nursing staff during the voyage.

Sister Constance Keys' hand-written memoirs of her experiences during the First World War. Written on 13 loose sheets, one double-sided;  she describes the journey to Egypt; the arrival of the wounded from Gallipoli; nursing in England and on the Western Front; the Armistice; and nursing in Sutton Veny, England, in 1919.

A handwritten account, presumably by Nurse Constance Keys, regarding a photograph of the Egyptian house servants at the British Military Hospital in Abbassia, Egypt, where Constance worked upon arrival in Egypt in 1914 / 1915. She describes the servants in detail, particularly Mohammed, the head man. The photograph is not included.

Notebook containing hand-written transcriptions of letters from Sister Constance Keys in Egypt, to her family in Brisbane, Queensland. The letters were transcribed by one of her sisters.

The letters describe the voyage to Egypt on the troopship Omrah; sinking of the German ship Emden and taking German prisoners on board the Omrah; treating the first wounded from Gallipoli; death of nurse Louisa Annie Bicknell who was the first Australian nurse to die during the war; visiting Melbourne after returning to Australia to nurse the wounded from Gallipoli on the transport ship Themistocles; returning to Egypt on the transport Ulysses; the Miners Battalion which travelled on the Ulysses, consisting of geologists and miners to assist with trench work in France; nursing at No. 27 British General Hospital, Abbassia, Egypt.

Notebook containing hand-written transcriptions of letters from Sister Constance Keys in Egypt, England and on the Western Front, to her family in Brisbane, Queensland. The letters were transcribed by one of her sisters.

The narratives include detailed descriptons of: her service as Sub Matron at No. 3 Australian General Hospital in Cairo, Egypt; No. 3 Australian General Hospital at Kitcheners Hospital, Brighton, England; being Mentioned in Despatches; Christmas 1916 at No. 3 A.G.H.; being awarded the Royal Red Cross and receiving the decoration from King George V at Buckingham Palace; as Sister in Charge at the Hospital for Australian Military Nurses in South Kensington, London; air raids and rationing in London; visiting relatives in Ireland; service at No. 3 Australian General Hospital in Abbeville, France; the troops from Gallipoli arriving in Egypt 1915; as Sister in Charge of No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station on the Western Front; Anzac Day 1918; her brother, Charlie, being wounded in action; the official entry of Australian troops into Lille, France, which had been liberated from the Germans after 4 years.

Notebook containing hand-written transcriptions of letters from Sister Constance Keys in Egypt, England and on the Western Front, to her family in Brisbane, Queensland. The letters were transcribed by one of her sisters.

She describes the news of the armistice in November 1918; Christmas Day in No. 2 Casualty Clearing Station in Belgium; spending leave in the South of France; being posted to No. 1 Australian General Hospital in Wiltshire, England; sadness at leaving her two dogs behind in Belgium; receiving the French decoration the Medaille des Epidemies in recognition for her work in nursing French soldiers and civilians; her investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive the Royal Red Cross, First Class; the death of medical officer, Caption Harold South from Boonah, Queensland; waiting to embark on the ship Orvieto to return to Australia.

Letters, postcards and greeting cards sent from and received by Constance Keys primarily during her time serving with the Australian Army Nursing Service in the First World War. 

• Postcard from Constance Keys on the troopship Omrah, in Melbourne, Victoria, to her sister, Kathleen, in Brisbane.
• Christmas/New Year card sent to Constance Keys at the Heliopolis House Hotel, Cairo, Egypt, from an unknown sender.
• Christmas card sent by Constance Keys in Egypt to her family in Brisbane, Queensland.
• Letter from Constance Keys in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt, to Yidda? (another nurse?). She discusses a photograph which she has enclosed of herself and Sister Julia Mary Hart.
• Postcard from Gunner Stanley Noble Hill of the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade in Gallipoli, Turkey, to Sister Constance Keys in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
• Postcard from Eric, a soldier on active service, in Gallipoli, Turkey, to Sister Constance Keys in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
• Damaged portion of a letter written by Constance Keys in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt, to an unknown recipient. The letter recounts a number of social engagements, including time spent with Mrs Croll (Nurse Winnie Croll) and a day visit to Matareih.
• Letter from Gunner Stanley Noble Hill of the 3rd Australian Field Artillery Brigade in Gallipoli, Turkey, to Sister Constance Keys at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
• Postcard from Constance Keys at No. 3 Australian General Hospital at Kitchener's Hospital, Brighton, England, to her sister, Kathleen (K.) in Brisbane, Queensland.
• Letter from Constance Keys at No. 3 Australian General Hospital in Brighton, England, to her mother, Margaret Keys, in Brisbane in which she describes going to Buckingham Palace to receive the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class, from King George V.
• Postcard from Constance Keys at No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station at St Venant, France, to her mother, Margaret Keys, in Brisbane, Queensland on which she describes the photograph on the reverse featuring herself and the other nurses of the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
• Postcard from Constance Keys at No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station at St Venant, France, to her brother Verner Douglas Keys in Moascar, Egypt on which she writes of celebrating her four years of active service by throwing a dinner.
• Christmas card from Sister Margaret Ross Huxley at the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station in Ath, Belgium to Sister Constance Keys at the same location.
• Letter from Bert Wilce, Honorary Secretary of the 9th Battalion A.I.F. Association, Brisbane, to Constance Pennefather, nee Keys, in Southport, Queensland.
• Letters from Vincent H. Williams, Honorary Secretary, of the 'Omrah' Association, Brisbane, to Constance Pennefather, nee Keys, in Southport, Queensland.
• Envelope which has been used by Constance to write notes about her service in World War I.

Notes written by Constance Pennefather, nee Keys, about her service in the First World War, with the Australian Army Nursing Service.

A watercolour wash and ink pen sketch depicting a war-damaged windmill in Flanders, Belgium, after a battle, 1914-1917.  The print has been glued to an additional frame.  The artwork has been described and signed by the artist, Marcel Augis.

Watercolour wash with ink pen details depicting a damaged church in a village in the neighbourhood of Reims, France, after being bombed, 1914/1916. A description of the artwork by the artist is written in French below the painting with the artist's signature.

Watercolour painting on parchment depicting a snowstorm in a forest. Signed and dated by the artist.

Two halves of a belt clasp with flower details in enamel inlay.  The item was presumbly purchased by Constance Keys during her time in Egypt.

Loom woven beaded necklace constructed from cotton thread and glass seed beads arranged in a geometric pattern.  Necklaces of this type were created by wounded Australian soldiers as part of their rehabilitation and were also constructed by Turkish prisoners of war in Cairo, Egypt, to pass the time and also as a way of earning extra money for rations and supplies.  The necklace was presumably acquired by Constance Keys during her service during the First World War.

Egyptian glass bead necklace. The necklace was presumably acquired by Constance Keys during her service in Egypt. 

Thin metal bracelet with hinge and clasp. In poor condition with splits along edges and tarnished surface.  The bracelet was presumably acquired by Constance Keys during her war service.

Enameled bracelet with hinge and twist clasp of blue stone. The bracelet features two tassles of chain with blue stones, possibly lapis lazuli, attached and has a colourful enamel inlay. The bracelet was presumably acquired by Constance Keys during her service in Egypt.

White kid gloves and glove stretcher. These were possibly the gloves which Constance Keys wore in February 1917 when she visited Buckingham Palace to receive the Royal Red Cross decoration from King George V. The wooden glove stretcher was used to stretch kid leather gloves after they had been washed and to open up the fingers of the glove before they were put on.   

Black evening dress belonging to Constance Keys. The dress features an embroided gauze overlay. 

Souvenir spoons collected by Constance Keys from seven of the locations at which she was stationed on the Western Front. Each spoon is ornate featuring the crest of its place of origin on the tip of the handle, and the name of origin engraved in the bowl. Locations include Abbeville, Bailleul, Hazebrouck, St Omer, Blendecques, Lille, and Boulogne.

Egyptian enamel Moses basket locket. The locket features a picture of the sphinx with the pyramids in the background.  Inside the locket is a small gilt figure of the baby Moses.  Both are enclosed in a small clear plastic box.

Standard edition medical division First Field Dressing obtained by Constance Keys in 1917 but never used. It includes the package and content with directions of use inscribed on the outside of the package. Instructions on how to open the package and access the items inside are featured, as is a brief description of what the package contains. Two dressings in waterproof covers, with Iodine Ampoule in a cardboard tube are included. Package is produced by John Tye & Son, London.

Trench art brass slouch hat with Rising Sun badge made from shell parts.  The crown of the hat is hinged and opens to form a small container, possibly used as an ashtray. The internal container may be lifted out for cleaning. Trench art was made by soldiers in the trenches from the debris of war such as bullets, shell casings and metal fragments.

Wicker basket and lid featuring the red and blue colours of the Union Jack and Australian Flag. Depicted in colour on the sides of the basket are the 9th Infantry Battalion AIF colour patch below the handles on either side, and the Union Jack on the two larger sides.
The basket was obtained by Nurse Constance Keys while stationed in Egypt from 1914 to 1916.  It was made by a Turkish soldier held as a prisoner of war in Egypt.  

The brass container was made from a World War I shell case, with the interior lined with blue glass.  The exterior features an ornate etching of mythological figures in a pastoral setting. The lid is lined with blue glass and features an etching of a piper and dancing girl.
The container was won by the 2nd Australian Clearing Station tug of war team, including Constance Keys, during a sports day competition in France, in 1918. The glass lining of the lid is cracked.

Small Egyptian hieroglyphic decorated plate. Small plate, diameter 115mm, copper with colour variations in the art, possibly of silver.  The edges are rolled and hammered.  The illustration in the centre features Eyptian gods, including Horus the falcon.

Small pot, possibly a cup, of brass with colour variations in the art, possibly silver.  Marked on the bottom with the name/initials of the artist.

Silver tea strainer basket with prongs which fit into the teapot spout and swivel below the spout to strain the leaves as loose tea is poured from the teapot. The tea strainer was given to Constance Keys by an Australian soldier, Sergeant Ross Burrell of the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance during her service in France.

Egyptian metal trinket box with lid. Small lidded box of copper or brass with colour variations in the patterned artwork, possibly of silver. Marked on the bottom with the name/initials of the artist.

A camp pocket candlestick which comprises a metal box and incorporates an inbuilt candlestick holder, a compartment for a box of matches and room for two candles.  The tin was designed to keep the contents dry and ready for use.  The container contains one partly used candle. In poor condition with rust and degradation evident. Patent number 16856 is featured on the bottom surface of the item.

The rectangular metal box has a hinged lid which features a badly degraded image of three soldiers in a military camp and the text 'Camp Pocket Candlestick. A Soldier's Friend'.  The design was patented on 9 July 1915 and could be purchased by Australian troops prior to their departure overseas.

Trinity College London Music Medallion. An intricate silver medallion bearing the initials "C.M.K." (Constance Mabel Keys) on the front. On the reverse it has been engraved "T.C.L. Hons 1908" (Trinity College London Honours). Constance Keys was a talented pianist.  The medallion may have been given to Constance by her parents in recognition of achieving this result in a music examination.

Brisbane Hospital Training School Medallion. This medallion was awarded to Constance Keys for practical work at the Brisbane Hospital Training School.  The front of the medallion is engraved "1908 to 1910 Constance M. Keys Practical Work".  The reverse is engraved "The Brisbane Hospital Training School for Nurses".

Ribbon bar for the Royal Red Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal.  A Mentioned in Despatches oak leaf pin is attached.  The ribbon bar belonged to Constance Keys.

Constance Keys was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Royal Red Cross, second class (29 December 1916) and first class (3 June 1919).

Queensland Nurses' Registration Board Badge. The badge is engraved on the reverse "C.M. Keys".

Nurses' badge of the Brisbane Hospital, Queensland, belonging to Constance Keys. The badge is engraved on the reverse "217 Wallace Bishop Brisbane". Wallace Bishop was the name of the jewellery firm which produced the badge.

Australasian Trained Nurses Association badge, 30mm, in enamelled sterling silver by Flavelle.  Engraved on reverse "Constance M. Keys Jan [January] 19, 1911". The centre of the badge shows the Southern Cross on a blue enamelled circle.

Ribbon bar for the Royal Red Cross belonging to Nurse Constance Keys during World War I.  She received the Royal Red Cross, second class (29 December 1916) and first class (3 June 1919).

Red Cross medallion belonging to Nurse Constance Keys.  Engraved on reverse "B.G.H. [Brisbane General Hospital] 1910.

1915 Red Cross medallion belonging to Nurse Constance Keys during World War I.  The cross-shaped medallion is engraved on the reverse "1915".

The League of Red Cross Societies was formed in 1919 by the amalgamation of Red Cross Societies in Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the United States of America to strengthen and unite for health activities and to promote the creation of new societies. The badge presumably belonged to Nurse Constance Keys.

Red Cross Blood Donor badge.

Australian Army uniform button, "Australian Commonwealth" is engraved around the edge of the button.

Constance Keys' identification bracelet made from a brass disk and sterling silver chain with clasp.  The disc is engraved "Sister C.M. Keys A.A.N.S. [Australian Army Nursing Service] C. of E. [Church of England]".

Australian Army Nursing Service 1916 badge in 9 ct cold and enamel by P.J. King.  Impressed on reverse "Australia Appreciation 311".  The badge belonged to Sister Constance Keys.

Union Jack Club Badge belonging to Sister Constance Keys during her service in England in World War I. The Union Jack Club near Waterloo Station in London, England, is an Armed Forces Club which opened in July 1907.

Queensland Patriotic And Australian Comforts Fund Badge. Impressed on reverse "Wallace Bishop Brisbane".  Wallace Bishop is the name of the jewellery firm which produced the badge.

Queensland Civil Defence Welfare Service badges. Four Second World War, Queensland Civil Defence Corps Welfare Service badges made of gilt metal and enamel inlay.  All are impressed on reverse with the name of the manufacturer "Handford" and the serial number of the badge.

Rising Sun uniform badge. Standard issue General Service Rising Sun hat or collar badge with the King's crown and the words "Australian Commonwealth Military Forces" in the scroll.

Queensland Civil Defence Welfare Service badges. Two Second World War Queensland Civil Defence Welfare Service badges made of gilt metal and enamel inlay.

First World War Carrier Pigeon message capsule

Pigeons, due to their homing ability, speed and altitude, were often used as miliatry messengers. Homing pigeons were used extensively during the First World War to transport messages from point to point and also in the front lines to carry status reports back to headquarters.  The lightweight aluminium capsule would be attached to the pigeon's leg.

The bronze medal features a winged figure of Victory on the obverse.  The revearse has the words 'The Great War For Civilisation 1914-1919' surrounded with a laurel wreath.  The medal is impressed around the edge with the recipient's details: M2 175330, PTE. [Private] O.J. Kite. A.S.C. [Army Service Corps]. Most likely to relate to the service of a British soldier who served during the First World War.

Aluminium identity tag impressed with 'Keys Const [Constance] 3 G.H. A.I.F. [3rd Australian General Hospital, Australian Imperial Force] CE [Church of England]'.
Constance Keys served at the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbassia, Egypt, from March to September 1916.

Identity disc impressed with Capt [Captain] J.R. Atkinson C.A.M.C. [Canadian Army Medical Corps] Vancouver B.C. [British Columbia], a doctor who served with the Canadian forces during the First World War.

New Zealand Silver Fern badge. Possibly a lapel badge associated with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service Corps.  The metal badge features 'N.Z.' in raised capitals on the fern dessign.

An intricately decorated brass plate acquired by Constance Keys while serving in Egypt from 1914 to 1916.

Small Egyptian hieroglyphic decorated plate, diameter 170mm featuring embossed brass with intricate pattern in centre and around edges, which are rolled and hammered. 

Two brass dinner plates featuring embossed designs of leaves, flowers, branches and grass. The word CHINA is embossed on the underside of each plate. 

Highly decorative, molded brass carry bag, with open top and chain handle. The intricate design features animals - deer and birds. Constance Keys purchased many souvenir items in the bazaars of Egypt which she sent home to her family in Queensland.

Small oval-shaped brass trinket box, with lid and clasp. Likely to be trench art made from a brass shell casing.

Small brass single candlestick, with square base. 

Small brass jug or creamer, for pouring milk or cream. Embossed with an ornate design. The jug has a pouring spout but no handle. 

Small brass bowl with rolled rim. A pattern of deer and birds is embossed around the outside of the bowl.

Two nested brass coasters made from shell casings (trench art), with embossed designs.

Small, squat brass vase made from a shell casing (trench art), and featuring an intricate embossed design.

Large brass candlestick, designed to fit a candle 45 mm in diameter.

Copper water pitcher with curved handle, hinged lid and wide spout and broad lip, which may have been used with a washbowl for personal hygiene.

Small brass serving pot with handle, made from a shell casing. The outside of the pot features an embossed design which includes animals, sphinxes and pyramids.

A brass shell casing planter, featuring a flowery design, and three chains attached at the rim and joined by a hanging hook.

Canvas kit bag issued to nurse Constance Keys during the First World War. The tubular bag has 12 brass eyelets placed around its opening, stencilled in white paint on the side is C.M. Keys, A.A.N.S. [Australian Army Nursing Service].

White porcelain figurine of a young boy reading, to a goose and her goslings, in the likeness of others produced by Karl Ens. Most likely obtained by Constance Keys while on active service in Belgium during the First World War. The item has been broken and repaired with glue that has yellowed.

Sterling silver propelling slide pencil holder, made by Sampson Mordan & Co London stamped with their with hallmarks. Includes contemporary pencil.

Commemorative mirror featuring black and white printed photographic portraits of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on reverse. Produced as a purse mirror, for the Royal Visit to Australia in 1949.

Studio portrait of Colin Morgan Reade, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, who was killed in action at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, 30 May 1915 age 18.

Keys writes of her sadness on hearing of his death, they were close friends in Cairo, having last seen him on 9 May, the day before he left for the Peninsula. Reverend George Green who was the regimental chaplain, mentions Colin in his diary, he was with the young man after he was fatally wounded. The photograph of Reade is mounted in a sterling silver frame, with his initials stamp on the top edge.