A photograph of Philip Richards, approximately 5 years old, returned with the possessions of Trevor Richards (Bristol Z/171, Howe Battalion, RND) killed at the Battle of the Ancre, 13 November 1916. || The attached photograph is one of two possessions returned from AB Trevor Richards, b. 22/11/1895 from Penyrheol, Gorseinon, Wales, who was killed on the Somme on 13 November 1916 (Bristol Z/171, Howe Battalion, RND). It is a photograph of his younger brother, my grandfather Philip Richards, who would have been around 5 years old at the time. He is dressed in a sailor suit due to his older brother, Trevor, serving in the Royal Naval Division.

Photograph showing Henry Lucas in uniform ; Replica Medals British Service Medal, and the Victory Medal ; Photograph of us at our Grandfathers Grave at the military cemetry at Esquelbecq. || Our Grandfather Henry Harry Lucas was born in Nenagh in Co. Tipperary. We know he moved to Dublin where he lived for a while in Merrion Avenue where he was employed as a coachman. We are not sure the reasons our Grandfather enlisted but he did and was to serve with The Royal Garrison Artillery. We do know thanks to war records that the 39th siege Battery had served in the Somme area up until 1915, it is unknown to us whether our Grandfather had served there although we do know that he had served in Flanders between 1915 and 1918. It was in 1918 when our Grandfathers service had ended after sustaining wounds after what we believe to be during the second German offensive of 1918 where all the lines seemed to have been overrun. Henry we also know had been moved to an Australian casualty clearing station in Esquelbecq where he died of septisemia two weeks later. Our Grandfather is buried at the cemeterary in Esquelbecq that had been opened in 1918. We unfortunately have no original medals although his medal certificate we obtained from the national archives allowed us to purchase replicas (picture above). Our Grandfather's uncle was also a soldier who was one of the first recipients of the Victoria Cross. John Lucas V.C had been awarded this medal for his outstandig galantry during the New Zealand Wars. In recognition of our Grandfather's sacrife he and other parishoners are remembered on a plaque in the Holy Trinity Church in Rathmines.

Images of two souvenir shells. Postcards (and pdf of postcard collection). || Adam Malcolm was my grandfather and he was born in 1890. During the First World War he served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (he was a conductor, a type of warrant officer); he went to France in the spring of 1915 (March or April) and in 1917 was awarded the Military Cross. He was part of the Altopiano offensive in Italy in 1918 and won an Italian medal. I also have a collection of postcards, some of which are embroidered and many of which are of pictures and cartoons used for propaganda. || || Western Front || Images of two shells kept as souvenirs || Artillery