Thanks to a tip from reader Raymond, here’s another World War I diary story. What a treasure for a family to have. “The old cloth-covered book hardly shows its age — at 100, it betrays only the most modest of frayed edges. But to the family of the 24-year-old soldier who recorded history with a … Continue reading Joe Rodier’s World War I Diary
A poignant artifact from the Cambridgeshire Community Archive: an amazingly well-preserved World War I diary. Eric Gardiner was the youngest son of F J Gardiner, owner and editor of the Wisbech Advertiser (now the Fenland Citizen).  Eric joined up when war was declared and from the moment of his arrival in France up to his death in 1915 he … Continue reading Eric Gardiner’s World War I Diary
This is an antique notebook I found on eBay. These kinds of diaries seem to have been issued to soldiers during World War I & II, to encourage the recording of memories of the battles fought in, places seen, friendships made, etc. It also includes some handy French phrases. This notebook is completely blank– I … Continue reading World War I Soldier’s Diary
With thanks to those who have served in our armed forces… (I’ve lost track of where I found this photo– if anyone knows who it should be credited to, let me know!)