An Esoteric Collection of Great War Memorabilia: Pt. II—In and About the Trenches and Beyond

Welcome back to the Esoteric Collection. 

*An update from the front: Hanlon is pinned down at an undisclosed CCS by heavy artillery fire. Accordingly, we expect a delay in his return to editorial duty. His spirits are high, to be expected from the Good Soldier. When the barrage lifts, we will post further information. Thank you for bearing up under these wartime conditions at Roads to the Great War.*

 

 

Set of identification discs for U.S. soldier Robert Nichols. The term "dog tags" didn't enter common parlance until WWII, with the re-designed rectangular style. 

 

The classic French 75mm shell, re-fashioned as trench art commemorating battles at Rosières on the Somme ~ 

Note the aeroplane on the left. The outline appears to indicate a Taube design. 

 

The Very Special Princess Mary Box, Christmas 1914 ~

 

Paid for by public donations, these gifts from the Princess Royal, George V's only daughter, to the empire's servicemen and women contained a photo of the princess (as above), tobacco (for soldiers), chocolate (for nurses), and sweets and spices for colonial subjects who did not smoke. There was also a Christmas card, which has gone astray from my PM Box. The perimeter of the box reads, from top left clockwise: Belgium, Imperium Britannicum, Japan, Russia, Montenegro, Christmas 1914, Servia, France. 

 

 Blue Star family cards for prominent display in a  front window ~

 

 

 

    Two war medals from Spink & Son, Piccadilly.

    L: the Victory Medal, awarded to U.S. forces. Nike Athena on one side and "The Great War for Civilisation 1914–1919" on the other. 

 

    R: British War Medal, Silver or bronze medal awarded for 28 days of service between 1914 and 1920; features St. George on horseback trampling the Central Powers,  and on the other side King George V in profile.

 

The discharge document of my grandfather, Capt. Benjamin L. Agler, 4th Division ~