English: Albert Ashall was a soldier in an unknown regiment during WW1. He enlisted at St Helen's Lancashire and served on the Western Front. In civilian life Ashall was a foreman at Pilkington's Glassworks. The trench art item is a shell case that has been coverted into an ashtray with attached matchbox holder. French bullets have also been used in the construction, and it is inscribed 'Ypres', '1917', 'Belgium' and the name 'A. Ashall'.

The contributor is the grandson of Ashall and recalls that Ashall was reluctant to speak of the war, but that he possessed a number of trench art items. Particularly interesting were pairs of ice skates that the contributor believes were made from converted bayonet blades. The contributor and his grandfather would ice skate at Carr Mill Dam on the East Lancashire Road.

The ashtray was later kept at home by Albert Ashall on his hearth and kept by the contributor as a memento of his much respected grandfather.