Ian Alexander
Well-known member
Hello,
My grandfather served in the Gordon Highlanders during the First World War. He came from Inverurie, Kintore and as a kid I used to love holidays up there to visit. I used to go fishing to Stonehaven where as a young girl my mother worked making fishing nets.
My grandfather had a quiet, solitary manner and he witnessed some horrors having saw action on the Somme.
I remember him showing me how to make a catapult (which I still have), and where the different birds would nest and when.
He gave me a ring that came from the battlefields of the Somme and it wasn't until the internet came, long after his death, that I could find out more about it. It's an example of "trench art"......items that were made by soldiers during their time in the trenches. The would make items out of cartridge cases and the like. The rings were made out of aluminium fuse holders from the shells. It is engraved with the name of one of the most infamous battles "Ypres".
I thought I'd share this with the forum, I'm not sure if people will find it interesting but given that's it's almost 100 years old I do hope that a few of you like it.
Thanks for looking, Ian.
My grandfather served in the Gordon Highlanders during the First World War. He came from Inverurie, Kintore and as a kid I used to love holidays up there to visit. I used to go fishing to Stonehaven where as a young girl my mother worked making fishing nets.
My grandfather had a quiet, solitary manner and he witnessed some horrors having saw action on the Somme.
I remember him showing me how to make a catapult (which I still have), and where the different birds would nest and when.
He gave me a ring that came from the battlefields of the Somme and it wasn't until the internet came, long after his death, that I could find out more about it. It's an example of "trench art"......items that were made by soldiers during their time in the trenches. The would make items out of cartridge cases and the like. The rings were made out of aluminium fuse holders from the shells. It is engraved with the name of one of the most infamous battles "Ypres".
I thought I'd share this with the forum, I'm not sure if people will find it interesting but given that's it's almost 100 years old I do hope that a few of you like it.
Thanks for looking, Ian.
