The Letter U

Vlamertinghe

On the left side is a photograph by Captain Frank Hurley of the ruined Belgium village, Vlamertinghe. It was the scene of intense fighting during the First World War. Hurley, both an adventurer and official war photographer, captured the experiences of Australian soldiers across Europe and the Middle East.
See more of Hurley’s photographs

Sextant

The curve of the U is an open sextant. This navigational instrument is used to measure the altitude of the sun, moon, planet and stars above the horizon. It was made by Watkins of London around 1800.
See more about the sextant

Bushranger’s revolver

The barrel of a pepperbox revolver completes the right hand side of the letter. It belonged to a bushranger who discarded it in the 1850s. It is now preserved in the Library’s diverse armoury collection.
See more about Wingy’s revolver

 

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