The twin brothers John Christopher (Jack, who was my grandfather) and Angelo (Lal) Stephens enlisted in 1914 with their cousin Arnold. Lal was in the Fourth Fusiliers Cavalry regiment. He wrote of the friendships he had formed and also about when his horse was killed. Both Jack and Lal were wounded at the Somme. Unfortunately Jack was left injured in the field overnight and because of this, he was not expected to live. He received treatment at an English hospital in Richmond and survived with shrapnel in his right leg. This would have been in late 1916. Amazingly, in 1923 or 1924, Jack met the man who had carried him off the field after he was injured. He died on 15th August 1969 and is buried in Dean’s Grange. Lal received treatment for his injury in a French hospital before being sent to England. He died in August 1980. Another brother, Jim, joined the air corps and upon returning home from the war became founder of the Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire. Also, my grandmother’s brother, Joseph Byrne, died on 1st March 1918 in France (possibly Ypres) He was a Dublin Fusilier. || Picture of cavalry regiment

Jack’s niece Sheila Outram told his tragic story. Jack, along with 10 other men got caught in a wood and killed two days after the ceasefire. They were all buried in the same cemetery in Belgium in the village where they were killed. From family correspondence, we know that Jack was very close to his family, sending money home to buy his sister, a new dress. Sheila’s mother, his sister, was never able to visit Jack’s grave but Sheila and her husband are going on a trip to pay their respects this summer(2014). || Photograph of Jack; Christmas card from Jack to his mother; Letter from Jack to his mother; Official notification of Jack's death; Confirmation from War Office of where Jack was buried || || Notification of where Jack was buried || Remembrance || Official document || || Official document || Notification of Jack's death || || Letter from Jack to his mother || Letter || Trench Life || || Letter from Jack to his mother || Trench Life || Letter || || Letter || Letter from Jack to his mother || Trench Life || || Other || Christmas card from Jack to his mother || || Other || Christmas card from Jack to his mother || || Photograph || Portrait of John (Jack) Henry Mallett

I found this advertisement in an American newspaper from 1918. Cracker Jack is a popular caramel-coated popcorn snack, later to be associated with the sport of baseball in the minds of Americans. In 1918, Cracker Jack urged Americans to join the US Navy (their mascot was a boy in a sailor suit). Also, by eating the product, consumers could save valuable sugar and wheat for the war effort. The USA had just entered the war in 1917, so the patriotic fever was still strong with the American public. Item from the Library of Congress, Albuquerque morning journal. (Albuquerque, N.M.), 09 June 1918. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. || Newspaper advertisement for Cracker Jack, urging readers to enlist in the US Navy.