Structure

Prayer Book

Archives

A black leather bound book of common prayer and church hymns. Has a bayonet hole through the front of book and inside pages. On the spine is gold print inscription: ‘Common Prayer of Church Hymns’. Inside is pencil inscription: ‘If this is picked up on the battlefield (France). Please send it to: Miss A. Boast, Longham. Post Office, Blakery, Norfolk, England’. Originally owned by Private Thomas Crawford, 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Whilst in close combat with the enemy in the trenches in World War One, it is believed that the prayer book deflected a what would have been more life threatening bayonet injury into his shoulder, the bayonet had already penetrated a cigarette tin before being stopped by the prayer book. It was lost in the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 and was returned to England later that year to his sweetheart, Amy Boast. Associated person: Crawford, Thomas (service number: 28695)

ref no.

DURLI:2016.7

Notes

Keyword: paper; Part: prayer book

Tags

Expand

People	Boast, Crawford
Places	England, Longham
Addresses	Miss A. Boast, Post Office, Blakery, Norfolk
Organisations	15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Events	Battle Of The Somme, World War One
Keywords	Expand life threatening bayonet injury, black leather bound book, Private Thomas Crawford, Durham Light Infantry, gold print inscription, Miss A. Boast, pencil inscription, Amy Boast, bayonet hole, prayer book, common prayer, church hymns, inside pages, Post Office, 15th Battalion, close combat, World War, cigarette tin, front, spine, battlefield, France, Longham, Blakery, Norfolk, England, enemy, trenches, shoulder, Somme, July, sweetheart, campaign