Photographs - one taken before he left Ireland; one taken just the the end of the war where he is wearing woolen gloves to camouflage that he had lost his left hand. ; A manuscript letter dated 22 January 1944 sent from his WWI squadron leader and supervisor to Colin referring to how thrilled he is to hear from a member of the squadron. ; Part of a Lewis machine gun the foresight from a F.E.2b (Farman Experimental 2bi-plane) or an F.E.2d? that Colin kept as a souvenir; this item allowed the gunner to fire the machine gun through the propeller of the aircraft. ; An embroidered banner with the insignia of the Royal Flying Corps ; A War Service Badge which he wore every Armistice Day; Colin was a member of the British Legion branch in Magherafelt, Co. Derry. ; An album of postcards and photocards from the war period, many sent to people he knew in Ireland.
Colin Thomas Methven was Eleanor Methven's father. His service number was 10327 and he served in R.F.C. (the Royal Flying Corps). He was born in Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, Ireland. He had 'grey eyes and brown hair' ; his parents Andrew and Margaret lived in Borris, Co. Carlow. He enlisted in Kilkenny in October 1915 and his discharge papers show he was officially discharged on 19 March 1918. Colin was an apprentice electrician before the war; he lied about his age in order to enlist, saying he was 19 but he was 17. He lost his left hand and eye and suffered severe damage to his left ear in a flying accident - his discharge papers refer to this. He was based at Auchel Aerodrome, Pas de Calais - where F.E. 2b's and F.E. 2d's operated out of. When he returned to Ireland, Colin attended TCD Trinity College Dublin and met Alcock and Brown when they visited TCD; newspaper accounts from the time tell that they were carried aloft on the shoulders of some TCD students - Colin Methven was one of those students. Colin was a member of the British Legion branch in Magherafelt, Co. Derry and wore his War Service Badge every Armistice Day.