To Be Mesmerized

This is my great uncle Gordon (1888-1974) seen here wearing the uniform of an officer of the Essex Regiment (10th Service Battalion).

In 1971 he presented me with his album containing photographs and memorabilia of the First World War. This loose photo was contained with it. He would have been aged 30 at the time this photo was taken. He looks far too young to have been involved with the conflict that I have been learning about this week.

Recently the National Archives have supplied me with a copy of his service record and when this is put together with the information in his album it has enabled me to construct a chronology for his activities for the years 1916 to 1919.

I received today the War Diaries for his Regiment and have been able to apply the chronology to the diary. I have been left speechless by the things he was asked to do.

Many of his fellow officers did nor survive and the diaries describe two of the battles in which he was wounded.