Background & Discussion:
This series of tokens are known from several British and Australian collections and are generally believed to have originated from sources within the United Kingdom. They are generally attributed as being military or munitions industry related due to obverse legends which read H.E. MESS. This is generally interpreted to stand for High Explosives Mess. This short legend is challenging when trying to assign this series of tokens directly to either the military or munitions industry for the reason explained hereafter.
Most military canteen tokens of the late 19th and early 20th century bear the name of the regiment and/or corps to whom the tokens were issued in addition to the location of the military mess in which they were used. Some typical examples are illustrated below.
A selection of late 19th and early 20th Century Military canteen or mess tokens (token images not to scale).
In comparison, the legends of munitions factory canteen tokens of the first half of the 20th century normally refer to the type, name and sometimes location of the factory at which they were used. In addition, they often include the word “CANTEEN” in their legends. In one example they also state the specific name of the high explosive (i.e. Amatol) used to fill the munitions at site on which they were used. Some typical examples are illustrated below.
A selection of Great War National Factory canteen tokens (token images not to scale).
The series of tokens in question include, what is believed to be, the initials of the generic type of explosive (i.e. High Explosives – e.g. Dynamite, TNT, Lyddite and Amatol etc.) handled in most munitions factories of the first half of the 20th century. Apart from the above illustrated Amatol Canteen token series, there are no other known British tokens that bear the name of a generic explosive type on them. On balance the term fits more comfortably on a munitions factory related token than it does on a typical military one.
The inclusion of the more military term “mess”, as opposed to “canteen”, on this token series fits better in a military context although it can’t be excluded from referring to a civilian run establishment. On military tokens from around the turn of the 19th century, the use of the word “canteen” is arguably more common than that of “mess”. Additionally, there is a series of late 19th or early 20th century canteen tokens (see the example below) from the Eastern Telegraph Company’s international submarine communications cable station at Porthcurno (Cornwall) which bear the word “mess” in their legends as opposed to “canteen”.
A 1 penny refreshment/canteen token from the Eastern Telegraph Company’s international submarine communications cable station at Porthcurno (Cornwall).
Overall, it may be argued that the “H.E. Mess” token series fits better into a munitions industry context than it does a military one.
Associated Token, Check & Pass Issues:
Type I
(Image courtesy of Malcolm Johnson)
Function: Canteen/Refreshment Token
Material: Brass
Design: Bifacial with plain edge and pierced for suspension
Shape & Size: Circular, 26 mm
Obverse: Raised legends in centre of field reads H.E. MESS all within an outer beaded and raised edge border.
Reverse: Raised mark of denomination ½D in centre of field. All within concentric inner and outer beaded borders between which is an anti-clockwise arranged string of tulip cups.
Date: c.1890 to c.1918
Maker: Vaughton of Birmingham
Published References: None, but known to Malcolm Johnson (see Mal’s Tokens Web Site).
Type II
Function: Canteen/Refreshment Token
Material: Brass
Design: Bifacial with plain edge and pierced for suspension (Note 1)
Shape & Size: Circular, 25.7 mm
Obverse: Raised legends in centre of field reads H.E. MESS all within an outer beaded and raised edge border.
Reverse: Raised mark of denomination 1D in centre of field with maker’s name below in small lettering which reads VAUGHTON BIRM . All within concentric inner and outer beaded borders between which is an anti-clockwise arranged string of tulip cups.
Date: c.1890 to c.1918
Maker: Vaughton of Birmingham (Note 2)
Published References: None, but known to Malcolm Johnson (see Mal’s Tokens Web Site).
Type III
Function: Canteen/Refreshment Token
Material: Brass
Design: Bifacial with plain edge (Note 3)
Shape & Size: Circular, 25.9 mm
Obverse: Raised legends in centre of field reads H.E. MESS all within an outer beaded and raised edge border.
Reverse: Raised mark of denomination 2D in centre of field. All within concentric inner and outer beaded borders between which is an anti-clockwise arranged string of tulip cups.
Date: c.1890 to c.1918
Maker: Vaughton of Birmingham (Note 2)
Published References: None, but known to Malcolm Johnson (see Mal’s Tokens Web Site).
Notes:
- Examples of these tokens are known where the piercings are made with a much larger hole which is off-set in the lower bottom field of the tokens.
- While these tokens do not bare a maker’s signature (as per the Type II tokens), they do display Vaughton’s very characteristic reverse border design.
- Examples of this token are know bearing two piercings located at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions.
British War Work Tokens 