Great War Portraits

WW1 Sapper Edward Sigrist, then 27, from Essex, kept a daily record of his time in France and Belgium from 1917 to early 1919, describing the near-misses, the friends lost, the hardship and also the humour.
 
Two years ago his diary was found in the attic of one of his six children. It was written in pencil on sheets of toilet paper and other scraps. The problem was that it was written in the since outdated Pitman shorthand.
 
They have since found help in Pamela Dunmore 79, who is still able to read the Pitman shorthand. She is uncovering some fascinating and moving entries, such as the following:
 
October 8 1917. Goodland buried today at Reutz cemetery, helped to carry his remains in a blanket into the car. There is a splendid concert on every 3 nights. Our OC (Officer Commanding) has arranged for the whole company to see it. Train left at 5 pm. As a rule we have porridge for supper every night. Got down to it about 10pm.
 
Full article appeared in The Times UK News On-Line Tuesday February 2012.
 
© Photograph Times photographer, David Bebber