In amongst the old photographs are two pages of his diary beginning with his draft on March 6th 1918 until his return home through wounds in July 1918 on the SS Aberdonian and a full neat handwritten copy of the same account taken from the original diaries . I would imagine by studying the neat well written script that he was an intelligent fellow and going by what has been written he strikes me as the type to take things in his stride . This was at the tail end of the War where the long forgotten heroic stance from the small but professional British Expeditionary Force otherwise known as the "Old Contemptibles " fought a gallant retreat against a far larger and well trained German Army on its push through France . The reality of four long years of War and the true devastation of the slaughter on those fields of France was now an all true reality and the eagerness to volunteer had naturally waned and conscription came into force .
I would imagine knowing the reality of the news , the deaths and wounds of friends and neighbours Sons must have been a frightening prospect for many young men due for enlistment . In the short period this young man was at the front he had experienced heavy shelling and shrapnel wounds and a loss of his comrades .
J.W.Sherrif
Not a lot to go on which is a shame as I would like to try and research this a ,little further .
The London connection is possible as the books came from that area and the house in the photograph looks typically like a London Victorian house although I realise this could be anywhere .
