Arthur Powell’s great nephew donated his diary from World War One to the Museum so that it could be looked after. Arthur’s service number was 320707 and he served with the Royal Engineers, at one time he was dispatched with the Inter-Allied Commission. Arthur’s diary is unusual in that it is written in a French prayer book that he found in a Peronne Cathedral. It is sporadic and very gruesome in its descriptions of what he saw. Arthur’s nephew transcribed some sections of the diary for us which are included in the PDF document attached. || Arthur Powell's Diary in a French Prayer Book.

The diary entries are reproduced with no editorial excisions. They were written in Pitman’s shorthand, in small pocket diaries, and have been completely transcribed (for the first time in 100 years) by his son || Arthur L. Linfoot (ALL), who volunteered for the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1915, left diaries comprising an entry for every day from 1 January 1914 to 31 December 1918. Starting from 1 January 2014, each diary entry will appear on-line at http://www.arthurlinfoot.org.uk/ on the evening of the day 100 years exactly after the day to which it refers.

Photograph of the crew of Theseus: Arthur marked with cross just on the right shoulder of the middle soldier lying down. Photocopy of diary kept by Arthur and includes battles and dates. Gunnery and torpedo history Sheet. Certificate of service. Medals. Certificate of identity. Tobacco box Christmas 1914 (Princess Mary's Christmas gift to the troops). || Arthur Rainey was the grandfather of the contributor, Kenneth Duesbery. He tried to join the Navy aged 15, but was brought back home by his mother. He joined legally on 20th August 1903. He served with the crew of Theseus and was at Gallipolli from 18 August 1916. He survived the war and became a postman. || || Front || Arthur Rainey's certficate of identity, Royal Fleet Reserve, Class B || Official document || || Arthur Rainey || Arthur Rainey's gunnery and torpedo history sheet || Form for qualifications obtained: gunnery school record and other examinations in gunnery and torpedo. There are no details of qualifications or examinations entered. || Poem || || Includes battles and dates. The contributor called it the Gallipoli diary and says that Arthur was in Gallipoli from 18th August 1916. The first entry is 7th August, so the diary probably starts in 1916. Some of the writing is also difficult to read, and it has been digitized from a photocopy, so some of the images are faint. || Diary || Arthur Rainey's Gallipoli diary 1916 || Arthur Rainey - Gallipoli diary || || Crew of Theseus || Naval Warfare || Back of image reads My father Arthur Rainey. Front second row, fourth from left with Crew of Theseus.\n Contributor said Arthur marked with cross just on the right shoulder of the middle soldier lying down. || Photograph of the crew of Theseus || Front || Photograph || || Arthur Rainey's certificate of service in the Royal Navy || Official document || Arthur Rainey || || This is an example of the brass tobacco box that was Princess Mary's Christmas gift to the troops in 1914. She was the George V's seventeen year old daughter. It was inscribed. Impericum Britannicum with the monogram MM (for Mary) across the front, and with roundels inscribed with the allies' names: Belgium, Japan, Russia, Montenegro, Servia and France. || Arthur Rainey || Memorabilia || Tobacco box issued to the troops, Christmas 1914 || Gallipoli Front || || Arthur Rainey's medals || Set of three medals. || Medal || Arhtur Rainey