Patricia Millership's father, John Edward Jones, never really talked about the war. He was shot through the abdomen and the bullet passed straight through him and into the knee of the soldier behind him. He saw quite a lot of close range combat and had scars on his hand and face. Contributor said that the brothers did lots of embroidery in their spare time, none of which survives. The collection includes: a newspaper article (1916?) giving the story of the three brothers who served in WW1, one of which was John Edward Jones; a photograph of John Edward Jones with three others, with at their feet woods for bowls (crown green or lawn bowls); 3 medals. || Newspaper article giving story of 3 brothers who served in WW1, one of which was John Edward Jones. Possible 1916. Photograph of John Edward Jones - location unknown. 3 medals

Richards Orpen in uniform; ASC and HQCD badge; ASC badge and identity tag; character reference; Identity details; Identity folder; wallet with pics of wife and children; Map of the western front 1914-18; ‘On Guard’ manual; || Edward R Richards Orpen was my maternal grandfather. He was born in 1884. His father was the noted historian of the Anglo-Norman period of Irish history, Goddard Henry Orpen of Monksgrange and he was also distantly related to the Irish portrait painter, William Orpen. In civilian life Edward was a farmer and a mechanical engineer. In late 1916, aged 32 and married with a young family, he volunteered for the Army Services Corps. The ASC had the vital task of supplying food, equipment and ammunition to the soldiers at the front, which often brought its officers and men into the firing line. By early 1917, Edward had been promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and by the end of the war to acting Captain. This latter promotion was on the recommendation of a senior officer who said of Edward that he was “an excellent officer in every way. Has a variety of attainments and is a first class engineer, though that is not his profession. He has been under my command for about 8 months, acting as an instructor and has carried out his duties to my entire satisfaction … His technical abilities would, in my opinion, be wasted in a staff appointment. Ability and professional knowledge, power to maintain discipline, power of leadership, knowledge, capacity and tact for training are all excellent.” Edward kept a detailed journal of his period in the ASC and wrote more than 314 letters to his wife, Margaret back in Monksgrange. Of his time at the front he wrote: “ I think we the ASC seldom complained except at the mud and wet weather. We tended to understand the difficulties of others and in consequence were satisfied to put up with things that in other circumstances would be regarded as intolerable. We always had at the back of our minds the knowledge that so many millions were so much worse off and exposed to both risks and discomforts infinitely greater, that any form of grumbling on our part was not done.” After the war, Edward returned to civilian life and later served as an independent in the Irish Senate. || || Edward R Richards Orpen || Photograph || Edward R Richards Orpen in uniform || || Other || ASC and HQCD badges || || Other || ASC badge and identity tag || || Edward's identity folder || Official document || || Edward's Identity details || Official document || || Other || Edward's wallet with pictures of his wife and children || || Official document || Character reference || || Map of the western front 1914-18 || Edward's signed copy of map of the western front 1914-18 || Map || || Map || Unfolded map of the western front 1914-18 || || Book || On Guard, a training manual used at Aldershot

Will was born on 26th July 1890 in Easton Royal, Wiltshire, the oldest of four brothers born to Joshua and Ellen (Farrow) Beckingham. He died on 19th April 1956 in Savernake Hospital, Marlborough, Wiltshire. He married my grandmother, Phyllis Fitchett on the 5th April 1915 at Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire and the marriage certificate shows him to be in the 3rd Battalion, the Wiltshire Regiment. Two children, Mary Ellen and Reginald, survived them. I always knew that he had been wounded in WWI, but not as many times as he actually was. I was fortunate in that my Grandmother kept the letters that she received from the Army advising of Granddad's hospitalisations and these have now come into my possession. I have also obtained copies of the War Diaries kept daily by, usually, an Adjutant of the Battalion to record what was actually happening wherever the Battalion was. I think that to make it easier to read, I will try and record Granddad's WWI service as a diary that he may have kept, (but that I have not found). There are several photographs that supplement the narrative and I have inserted these along with the War diary extracts (in italics) in the attached PDF file. || || 16th General hospital at Le Treport. I am standing, sixth in from the left with my arm in a sling. || Photograph || Hospital Group || || William Henry Beckingham || 18619 William Henry Beckingham || Photograph || || Diary || Possible diary for Will Beckingham