It is really surprising the array of items that have survived the most desperate conditions of war. Some pieces show signs of wear and tear and are slightly ‘battle weary’ whilst others look as pristine as the day they were made.
Christmas was a desolate time during the war years. To lift military
spirits a gift was given to recognise their services. Queen Victoria started
the tradition during the Boer War with a tin of chocolates for each of her
troops.
Princess Mary followed the tradition during World War One with a brass
embossed tin containing a variety of items from chocolates and cigarettes to
acid tablets and a khaki writing case. The contents depended upon whether the
recipient was a smoker or non smoker whilst the dietary and religious
requirements of the Indian troops were also taken into account. Nurses in the
frontline field hospitals were also taken into account and by the third
Christmas at war, the sick and wounded in hospital or in clearing stations were
quite rightly included in the gift giving.
This was a mammoth task for all concerned – from production to
distribution. The Imperial War Museum website has a detailed article,
illustrated with images on the whole procedure which is well worth a read. Many
of the recipients kept the gift boxes as a reminder of their wartime
contributions which have then been passed down within the family. Perhaps
you’ve discovered such an item in your ancestor’s belonging and until now did
not realise its significance. Find out more by visiting the Imperial War Museum
collections at http://collections.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.994 or discover more ways to research your family memorabilia in my book Ancestors in the Attic.
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