Souvenir hunting became a mania for many soldiers. This was especially true in the British Army, whose citizen-soldiers were eager to acquire mementos of what was, for most, a once in a lifetime adventure. Trophies captured directly from the enemy were the most sought-after. Until its issue ceased in mid-1916, the German spiked helmet, the Pickelhaube, was the most prized among Allied soldiers. But humble battlefield debris like shell fragments and nose-caps were also collected.
Some soldiers even found an opportunity for creativity – re-working battlefield debris into what we now know as ‘trench art’. They turned shell cases into flower vases or tobacco jars. Copper driving-bands – which ensured that a shell fitted tightly into a gun’s barrel – became paper knives. Some musically inclined French soldiers even formed ‘trench orchestras’; making instruments from battlefield debris. The natural environment also provided inspiration. Leaves could be cut and embroidered into souvenirs. Soldiers on the Eastern Front sent home postcards made from the bark and wood of the abundant local trees. For those unable to make their own, similar types of handicraft could also be purchased from local people, who adapted traditional skills in metal-working or lace making to meet this new market for souvenirs.