WWII cast aluminum ashtray

[waywardangler]

I went to a rummage sale this morning and found an unexpected item. This is a cast aluminum ashtray about 2" high on sides and about 7" dia.  Cast into the base in raised letters are "757 RY. SHOP BN. KASSEL GERMANY 1945".  RY stands for railway and BN. stands for battalion.  The 757th took over the Henschel & Hohn Locomotive Works after it was basically ruined http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nancygcunningham/Yankee%20Boomer%201945/yankboomvol2no37pg2.pdf  (hard to read because it looks like a scanned newsletter from 1945).

On the top is engraved "Capt. J.T. Burns" and on the upper back of the ashtray is a locomotive and coal tender? cast in relief with the letters U.S.A. 1781.  I have no idea who Capt. Burns was but he was not the man in charge or the first assistant.  I also do not know what the U.S.A. 1781 stands for but I assume it is for a locomotive.  Has anyone seen something similar? This may have been cast in Germany from melted down aluminum scrapped from the plant or it may have been made back in the states as a commemorative for those in the 757th?  The casting is very well done and shows age.

[Texasbadger]

After the end of the war during the occupation there were many fine craftsmen suddenly unemployed and would make items for cigarettes or rations, just for the work.  I bet this was made as a presentation item from his subordinates perhaps.  Doubt that it was mass produced to the entire battalion.