Princess Mary 1914 Christmas gift Box
My great uncle Ben must have been heartened to receive this Box at the front on Christmas day 1914.
The brass box originally contained a variety of items such as tobacco and chocolate together with the Christmas card and photograph of the Princess.
Princess Mary sent this message to the nation
"I want you now to help me to send a Christmas present from the whole of the nation to every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front. I am sure that we should all be happier to feel that we had helped to send our little token of love and sympathy on Christmas morning, something that would be useful and of permanent value.
A Princess Mary Gift Fund Box was a treasured possession of many veteran soldiers of the First World War, even when the original contents – usually cigarettes and rolling tobacco – had long been used. The embossed brass box was air-tight, and made a useful container for money, tobacco, papers and photographs, so was often carried through subsequent service.
A great many men carefully repacked their presents and sent them home to their wives and families.
Sadly Benjamin like many others did not return home and died in France in 1918 from pneumonia aged 29 and is buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte France.
Princess Mary 1914 Christmas gift Box
My great uncle Ben must have been heartened to receive this Box at the front on Christmas day 1914.
The brass box originally contained a variety of items such as tobacco and chocolate together with the Christmas card and photograph of the Princess.
Princess Mary sent this message to the nation
"I want you now to help me to send a Christmas present from the whole of the nation to every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front. I am sure that we should all be happier to feel that we had helped to send our little token of love and sympathy on Christmas morning, something that would be useful and of permanent value.
A Princess Mary Gift Fund Box was a treasured possession of many veteran soldiers of the First World War, even when the original contents – usually cigarettes and rolling tobacco – had long been used. The embossed brass box was air-tight, and made a useful container for money, tobacco, papers and photographs, so was often carried through subsequent service.
A great many men carefully repacked their presents and sent them home to their wives and families.
Sadly Benjamin like many others did not return home and died in France in 1918 from pneumonia aged 29 and is buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte France.