In the transcript attached to this entry, Cllr. Howard Marriner relates to Age Exchange what family legacy and influence the First World War had on his predecessors; of the four men that went to War, three would survive. Contributed via Age Exchange (http://www.age-exchange.org.uk) as part of the Children of the Great War project (http://www.childrenofthegreatwar.org.uk) at a collection day at the Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice, Kent, UK. To see all material contributed by Age Exchange, or to see more contributions from this collection day, follow the links at http://www.childrenofthegreatwar.org.uk/archive.html - For further information email: greatwar@age-exchange.org.uk || || Postcard || 2nd Seven Battalion Middlesex Regiment June 1915; taken by Herbert Samwell || This is the 2nd Seven Battalion Middlesex Regiment June 1915; taken by Herbert Samwell on a Gibraltar beach. They were en route to Egypt. When Herbert's brother was killed, he was sent on compassionate leave to see his parents and while he was back in the UK, the Middlesex regiment went over the top and were wiped ou;. He therefore had to return back to a different regiment and he served throughout the rest of the War until about six months before the War ended when he was captured by the Germans and went into a prisoner of war camp. || English || 36.140751,-5.353585000000066 || Herbert David Samwell || || reverse of Herbert's regiment's photograph (2nd Seven Middlesex) || English || Postcard || 36.140751,-5.353585000000066 || Back || || Deutsch || Français || Western Front || Front || Letter || English || Herbert David Samwell || Prisoners of War || Letter from Herbert to fiance May, from 'Kriegsgefangenen-Sendung' || || Postcard || Letter from Herbert to fiance May, from 'Kriegsgefangenen-Sendung' || || English || Letter from Herbert to May from hospital || Herbert David Samwell || || Transcript of interview with Cllr Howard Marriner || Howard Marriner || Interview || English

While researching my family tree, I came upon Tom O'Connor who was raised as the foster child of my great grandparents. He was born in the Wexford workhouse in May 1895, the son of Tom O'Connor and Ellen Murphy of Duncormick. By 1901, however, he had become a foster child in the household of Tom Moran and his wife Maryanne who lived at Belgrove, Duncormick, Co. Wexford. In June 1901, Maryanne died. Tom Moran was blind and already had two sons of his own so Tom O'Connor found himself in the care of Phil Moran and Mary Corish, my great grandparents. In 1914, Tom arrived in Port Talbot (Wales) in search of work but ended up joining the Welsh Regiment, 15th Battalion. His service number was 241768. He trained as a Signaller which delayed his deployment to Northern France for a short while. However, on 6 September 1918, just two months before the war ended, Tom died of wounds received in the battlefields of France. His friend and foster cousin Patrick Moran died three weeks later. Tom was laid to rest in Fienvillers British Cemetery, grave number D18. Phil and Mary Moran received word of his death along with the Death Plaque or Widow's Penny as it was often called. Tom had registered Phil and Mary as his next of kin. He would also have received the war medals but we do not know what became of them. || Framed picture of Tom O'Connor; Collage of pictures of Tom O'Connor in uniform; Letter to Patrick Moran, mentioning his training as a Signaller; two postcards from Folkestone, one to Anne Moran in Port Talbot, Wales, the other unsent; Tom O'Connor's Death Plaque. || || Photograph || Framed picture of Tom O'Connor || Tom O'Connor || || Tom O'Connor in uniform || Photograph || Collage of photographs of Tom O'Connor in uniform || || Letter || Life as a signaller in training || Letter to Patrick Moran about training as a Signaller || || Tom's postcards || Postcards from Folkestone, one to Anne Moran in Port Talbot, one unsent. || Postcard || || Message side of postcards, one to Anne Moran in Wales, the other unsent || Tom O'Connor to Anne Moran || Postcard || || Medal || Tom O'Connor || Tom O'Connor, Death Plaque

A real photographic postcard || Two names have been written in ink on the reverse of this real photographic postcard: ‘Jed & Joe’. These are presumably the pair of boys pictured with their parents. It is not possible to make out the details of their soldier–father’s shoulder title, but his bandolier and white lanyard are unmistakable. || || Photograph || A photograph of a British soldier's family