Tyneside soldier collected contributions from the frontline of the Great War
Tyneside soldier collected contributions from the frontline of the Great War
A poignant book of wartime memories compiled by a Tyneside soldier has been sold at auction. Tony Henderson reports.
As the First World War ended and a Tyneside soldier waited to come home, he devoted his time to create an illustrated book of memories of those with whom her served.
James O’Donnell was determined to return with a permanent reminder of his comrades and locals at his last base at Binche in Belgium, near the French border.
He collected a wealth of contributions in the blank pages of sketch book, which include poems, prose passages, general comments, best wishes, Shakespearian quotes, colourful illustrations and cartoons.
Now the book has been sold by Boldon Auction Galleries for £160 to a North East collector.
One page features a drawing of the members of Les Noisettes, an entertainment troupe probably made up from unit members, with the comment: “ The crowd who made the boys forget the words ‘up the line.’”
Another contributor added words which must have provided some comfort in desperate times: “Come what, Come may, Time & the hour, Runs thro the roughest day”.
James, from Hebburn in South Tyneside, served in the 10th Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps, which was involved in the battles of Ypres, the Somme, Arras, and Passchendaele.
“It is a remarkable and incredible book. The 10th Field Ambulance saw an awful lot of action in big battles before finally moving to Flanders,” said Boldon director, Caroline Hodges.
“Letters from soldiers in the front line were censored, but this book was a personal possession and James must have toured around inviting people to add their thoughts as they were being demobbed in 1919. Some of the contributions are very poignant.”
James’s granddaughter, Susan Kraal who lives in South Shields, said: “It is an absolutely lovely and very touching book. My grandfather seems to have been a very popular man.
“The book is a time capsule and my mother treasured it,” said Susan, a retired nurse. Susans mother Ellie died in 2017, aged 96.
After the war James worked in the insurance business in Jarrow. He married in 1921 but his wife died in giving birth to Susan’s mother.
James eventually remarried and lived in Victoria Road East in Hebburn. He died aged 89.